


did you know that i'm wild for your skin?

by writing_ramblings



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha Jesse McCree, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Captive Gabriel Reyes, Deadlock Jesse McCree, M/M, No mpreg, Omega Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Violenc warning for torture scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-03-09 11:03:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18915643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_ramblings/pseuds/writing_ramblings
Summary: Deadlock knows what Gabriel Reyes can do, that chemicals ran through his veins and make him a super soldier. They want those chemicals, so they take Reyes captive. While under their watch, Gabriel meets Jesse McCree, one of Deadlock who bares no scent and seems to have gotten an interest in him that Gabriel can't shake.





	1. captive

**Author's Note:**

> This was an idea I had been playing around in my mind for a year and finally got into it enough to work on it. It is also my first time writing something a/b/o so I hope it comes through well. The fic is practically written so updates will come every Tuesday or Wednesday, hopefully. Hope you enjoy! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated <3
> 
> Big thanks to [Lea](https://alliwantisallofthis.tumblr.com/) for the huge help on this one as a beta!

Gabriel had to blink a couple of times to make sure the heat wasn’t messing with his vision. That it wasn’t a mirage in the middle of the desert, but there was in fact a kid tied to an old railroad that had been dusted out from under the sand just for the display. As Reyes approached, surrounded by ten agents of Blackwatch, he could make out the hostage. His skin was brown, his hair darker, he wore ripped jeans and a white wife beater. His hands were tied behind his back by a rope, and so were his ankles. He was curled up in a ball, and his mouth was gagged by a white rag.

“We’re not here to hurt you,” announced agent Suarez, who was by Reyes’ side.

The boy relaxed and closed his eyes as he exhaled through his nose in relief.

Gabriel was surprised when they set him free and the boy, or young man more like it, stood up. He was almost Gabriel’s height, but he was probably too thin for his age. He also bore a patch of hair under his dry bottom lip.

“Did Deadlock capture you?” Reyes asked.

When the captive spoke his voice was gravelly and low. It was strange to hear it coming from someone who looked so young. “They did.” He also carried a heavy western accent. “Left me to melt out here n’ took the others.”

“Others?” Gabriel questioned, “Where did they go?”

The young man licked his lips, and Reyes noticed the sunburn over his cheeks. “Down there.” He pointed at the horizon. Not too far into the distance there seemed to be the edge of a cliff. “I kept my eyes on them as long as I could. Don’t know where they headed after.”

Gabriel looked in the direction the boy was pointing, and then at the captive. Something didn’t feel right. “Stay with him, Stones,” he ordered one of his agents. “We’ll scout the area and return to get him out of here. You alright to wait here, son?”

“It’s the least I can do after savin’ me.” The young man smiled in gratitude as the agent Gabriel had ordered stood by him.

“We won’t take long,” Reyes told Stones and gave the young man a quick glance. Stones nodded, understanding the message. He had to watch out for this one, even if he was found tied up. The perfect present, or bait, for an organization like Blackwatch.

Reyes walked with the rest of the team towards the cliff, weapons raised, and steps quick. Once they reached the edge, Reyes took a look down. There was a zig zagging path they could follow, and down below was a drying river with boulders and cacti around it.

“See anything, Suarez?” Reyes asked his sniper as he scoped in.

“A trap door, behind one of the boulders, sir.”

“Then that’s where we’re heading.”

They filed in a line after the commander, and reached the small oasis. They took cover behind one of the boulders while Suarez peeked and moved to the next one.

“All clear, sir,” he called out after five seconds.

The team moved in together to Suarez’s position. He stood behind the biggest boulder, surrounded by a few smaller ones. They gave cover to the trap door, a strange thing to find in the middle of nowhere. It lead to a tunnel, with sand on the floor from many members coming and going. And though it was dangerous to go into a gang hideout with a small number of agents, Gabriel decided to leave his best sniper above ground to return to Stones and tell him to be on the lookout for any activity as well as oncoming Deadlock members.

The path seemed to be vacant. With the commander in front of the line, they were cleared to start moving in. They came across a hallway, but decided to continue straight when there was barely any lighting. It was shortly after that when the earth shook.

“A bomb!” one agent called as the walls started to crumble.

They had no time to play hero. Gabriel beat them to it when he pushed the first agent away before a piece of the ceiling fell between them. When the world stopped moving, and the dust cleared, Reyes opened his eyes and looked back. He was met with a wall of debris and sand, and no Blackwatch.

“Commander?” He heard an echo from an agent.

“Go back!” Reyes shouted as he got closer to the barricade. “Retreat now!”

“We can’t leave you, sir!”

“That’s an order!” The commander screamed louder, watching his own spit spray out of his mouth. “Get back-up and return! I’ll find a way out!”

There was silence, and then, “Yes, sir.”

Gabriel panted slightly, not realizing he had been so out of breath. The tunnel had gone dark, so he turned on the small flashlight attached to the shoulder strap of his tactical vest. Whoever tried to ambush him must have sprung from the walls as they went to cover Reyes’ head, but he turned with an elbow to the attacker’s gut and then a round of one of his shotguns to the head. Another pair of hands wrapped around his neck, but her swung the Deadlock member over and shot him in the chest.

They were stupid enough to keep coming one by one, until five were dead. Then they really gave Gabriel a challenge as six Deadlock members surrounded him. Reyes turned to see each of their faces with the flashlight. He wished it was brighter so he could witness the moment their shit eating grins left their faces.

Gabriel hissed when something pinched his neck and then his eyes widened. He pulled out the dart and threw it at one of the attackers to make him flinch before the commander made his move. He could feel his body failing him. It was growing tired, weak and sluggish. His feet gave up, and he fell to the ground, welcomed by oblivion.

 

Gabriel was awakened by a bucket of cold water to his face. He felt the even colder chain of his dog tags over his chest, and the neck of his black undershirt stretched. He gasped and blinked as he shook his head to get rid of the water. When he lifted his gaze, he was met with three similar grins as before. Two bulky and bald men watched over him, showing off their arms covered in tattoos. One held a bucket. The third guy in between was skinnier, and his dark, greasy hair was tied in a ponytail. He had two lip piercings, and more around the shell of his ears, as well as tattoos all over his arms and chest as Gabriel could see since he was only wearing a dark vest and jeans.

“Commander Gabriel Reyes,” the skinny guy began, “what a pleasure to meet you.”

Gabriel straightened in the chair he was tied up to. Not only tied up, but chained and cuffed. Every possible restraint they had seemed to have been used on him. Even the metal chair didn’t feel weak. They knew what Gabriel was capable of.

“We will make this easy right off the bat!” The gang member said and went around Gabriel, placing his bony and long fingers on the commander’s shoulder to squeeze. “I’m Jan Knox, one of the head wolves here in Deadlock.”

He received more silence from Gabriel.

“Not much of a talker, huh?” Jan removed his hand to twirl it in the air. “No matter, I’m sure we’ll become close friends in time.”

One of the taller men pulled over another chair that had been in the corner of the room, and Jan sat in front of Gabriel. Jan was confident Gabriel wouldn’t be able to reach him as he sat with little distance between them.

“Let’s start with our life’s story. I’ll go first,” Jan pressed his fingers to his chest. “I grew up in Montana, loving parents, but I moved to Vegas and lost all the money they gave me for college. Owed money to dangerous people, so I joined a gang to pay it back. Then I decided the lives of the people I owed money to would be enough to keep them off my ass. And I got to keep my cash, too.” Jan leaned back as he crossed his legs. A proud smile curled on his lips. “What about you?”

Gabriel looked at Jan, then at the two other guys, and returned to Jan.

“Oh, I know this one!” Jan said, lifting one finger. “You joined the army at just eighteen years old, parents must’ve been proud.”

Gabriel’s jaw clenched, but he kept the rest of his composure.

“Then joined a secret military project, better known as the Soldier Enhancement Program, where you came out as a hero that rose from the ashes of the Omnic Crisis.” Jan lifted his hands. He certainly had a liking for the dramatics. “Along with your buddy, Jack Morrison, you founded Overwatch, but he became Strike Commander.” Jan smirked at Gabriel before he stood up. “Leaving you to work in the shadows.”

“Seems you know everything there is to know,” Gabriel finally said.

“Not all,” Jan stated before he walked around Gabriel again. “What ever happened to the program? Are you and Morrison the only ones left?”

So that’s what they wanted, to know about SEP. And Gabriel did have information that would interest Deadlock, but he would take it with him to his grave. If the chemicals said program gave him allowed him to die, that is.

Jan snapped his fingers and both of his cronies cracked their knuckles. “Are you listening to me, Reyes? Or am I gonna have to worry about the treatment taking away my hearing?”

“¿Que?” Gabriel responded for the fun of it.

“Don’t play coy with me,” Jan warned and nodded towards both men. Before Gabriel could even look at one of them in the eyes, a punch struck him.

He looked away and moved his jaw, as well as stretched his neck.

“Where can I find the base it took place in?” Jan asked, standing by Reyes. “Is there any more of whatever they injected you with?”

“No,” Gabriel answered quickly.

“If you had answered earlier, I would have believed you.”

“But you would have still kept me here.”

“Of course.” Jan returned to the spot in front of the other two men. “Because I know I can still get something out of you. But we can do it the easy way, or the hard way.”

Gabriel sat quietly once more. He knew how this went, and he could handle plenty of the hard ways.

Jan looked at the second guy, and Gabriel received another punch.

“And I’m not an idiot, Reyes. I know this must feel like training to you, but it’s nothing but a small taste of what awaits you.” Even if he wasn’t getting the results he wanted, Jan managed to smile as he pulled something from his pocket. The rattling noise was familiar to Gabriel, but he kept calm as a bottle of suppressants was shown to him. “Imagine our surprise when we found this in your belongings, commander. An omega?” The man chuckled as he tossed and caught the bottle of pills before he hid it again.

Gabriel frowned, but said nothing, not even trying to reach out for his pills. It would be a pathetic attempt, and a weakness. He could handle a few days without his suppressants.

“We’ll leave you to think about your answers.” Jan turned and he was followed by both men.

When he was left alone, he allowed his head to hang for a moment to collect his thoughts. That was when he winced from the pain in his jaw and tasted blood on the corner of his mouth as he passed his tongue over the cut. He looked around the room. It was dirty, with a leak in the ceiling and an old mattress in a corner. Along with the two chairs, that was all he had for furniture. There was light coming from the crooked window, which meant he wasn’t underground, but couldn’t also figure out a location.

The sun was setting—it still had to be the same day as when he was captured. They couldn’t have gone far from that spot. Gabriel stretched to have a better look out the window, he saw nothing but desert and mountains in the distance. If he was in the open, it would be easier for Blackwatch and Overwatch track him. Or at least he hoped.

Even if Gabriel still had his cargo pants, socks and black shirt, he felt naked without his hoodie, vest, other gear and especially his shotguns. He clicked his tongue as he thought, Deadlock better keep their dirty hands off them. Once he found a way out of the room, he was going to find them.

As for them having his suppressants, Gabriel was not worried. His heat was months away, and though he smelt the pungent odor of three alphas in just one room, nothing awoke in him. He found them vile, and idiotic. A few punches weren’t enough to keep Gabriel Reyes down, and he had learned to deal without his pills during the Omnic Crisis. There was also Blackwatch; he knew his team would find him and get him out of there before it was too late.

 

Jan visited Gabriel at night again, but this time he was accompanied by a large woman, with biceps the size of Gabriel’s face and golden brass knuckles. Jan asked the same questions, and got the same answers. The woman caused the cut on Reyes’ lip to bleed again as well as made a mess of the commander’s gut, probably leaving a garden of purple, red and green bruises on his stomach. Before leaving, Jan asked when Gabriel’s heat was, but he didn’t get a response.

Jan ordered the woman, Roberta, to free Gabriel from the chair, but kept all his bindings around his wrists and ankles. This way Gabriel was able to move around the room, and the first thing he did was try out the window, but it was sealed shut by screws and nails. With his hands in front of him again, he checked himself to see if there was anything on him that might have been missed by Deadlock that he could use to escape. But he was bare. Even the button of his pants and zipper had been ripped, that would surely be annoying to pull down when it was time to use the bathroom.

Gabriel sat on the floor, leaning on the wall as he started coming up with a plan, but the door cut his thoughts short when it opened. Gabriel blinked twice as he lifted his head at the visitor and he glared at the young man. It was the same scrawny one he rescued from the railroad. He even had the same clothes except for the addition of a jean vest, a red bandana around his neck with dark patches and loose threads, as well as a brown cowboy hat.

But Gabriel noticed something else—he smelled like nothing. There was no scent on the young man’s skin, nor anything that gave away his status.

“Brought ya dinner,” he announced, carrying a plate with a bread roll and mashed potatoes with gravy as well as a bottle of water.

He placed it down on the floor by Gabriel’s foot. “At least they’re feedin’ ya. We’ve got a few that haven’t eaten in weeks.”

Gabriel gave him a look over, if he had to guess he was probably one of the few he was talking about by how skinny he was for someone of his height.

“What’s so special ‘bout ya, anyways?” He asked Gabriel and sat on the chair Reyes had been sitting on before. “They didn’t care ‘bout the rest of yer team, but wanted ya alive.”

His team.

The question hung on the tip of Gabriel’s tongue, but would he dare to ask? To risk Deadlock finding a weak spot? For all Gabriel knew, they could have captured them as well, and could be keeping them to get information out of them, or Reyes.

“If yer wonderin’, I left the two ya left above ground live, at least I think I did.”

Gabriel only raised an eyebrow in question, you think?

“Only knocked them out ‘n’ ran as fast as a pig that escaped the slaughter,” he said, and his eyes moved down to the small meal, forgotten by Gabriel. “I was lucky yer snipper was busy with the explosion. I don’t know what happened to the others, though.” He looked up from the plate and leaned back on the chair. “Name’s Jesse McCree. What’s yers, darlin’?”

Gabriel huffed at McCree’s way of speaking, at his character as a whole, and looked away.

“I know it’s Reyes, n’ I know yer first name ain’t Commander,” McCree kept talking. “Yer part of Overwatch, that I also know, but what’s so special about ya besides brains, beauty and brawn?”

Just like with Jan’s questioning, Gabriel remained quiet. Even if there wasn’t a weapon of torture in sight, it didn’t mean McCree was any safer. At least he had told Gabriel something: they wanted him alive.

“Do they wanna recruit ya? I wouldn’t mind that, sure many won’t either.” Jesse’s eyes set on the meal again. It was almost a vacant look, and Gabriel couldn’t decide what was more annoying, his talking, weak attempts at flirting, or that sad puppy gaze.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and pushed the plate with his foot. He wasn’t going to eat it, might as well not let it go to waste. Even if it looked tasteless and there was a chance it could have been drugged.

“I couldn’t,” McCree insisted, even if he had licked his lips before.

Gabriel shrugged and looked away, not really caring if he ate it or not. If he didn’t, it was probably a sign that it had been tampered with. After five seconds of silence, McCree snatched the plate from the floor as if Gabriel was going to bite him.

Gabriel thought McCree would keep quiet with his mouth stuffed, but that wasn’t the case. The cowboy kept talking about how he saw Reyes’ shotguns and how they were beauties, but he was a man of long range. There was an innuendo somewhere in there that Reyes ignored it as he kept looking out the window for signs of birds, or the weather changing, or any plane or shuttle that could indicate his rescue.

“Ya’d like the view in the mornin’. It’s beautiful as the sun rises from the mountains,” McCree said as he opened the bottle of water before taking a sip.

“Did they send you to bore me to death?” Gabriel finally spoke and Jesse’s mouth opened in an O.

“He speaks.” McCree pushed his hat back and smirked, as if he had accomplished what he had set out to do. “Nah, I was just sent to bring ya food, but I wanted to stay for the company.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes and rested his back against the wall as he looked away. Eventually, the cowboy character left with a drawn out, “see ya ‘round, cupcake”, and aiming finger guns at Reyes along with a wink.


	2. wounds

There was another interrogation in the morning. Roberta was back, and so was one of the big guys from the first day, Ajax. They blindfolded Gabriel and took him down a flight of stairs. On the way he heard threats from other gang members, how they would cut him to pieces when he slept, or shoot him with his own shotguns. He also received the other kind of threats and profanities from alphas that already believed he was for the taking, but Reyes paid no mind as he counted the steps and the turns taken. He felt the warm air slowly exchanged for one that was cooler, yet dusty. When the blinds were taken off, he was standing in front of a barrel full of water, and questioning from Jan began.

Gabriel kept his calm, even as he looked at his own reflection in the still water. He listened to Jan carefully, looked for clues of where they might be, or pieces he can later put together to escape, but the gang member let nothing slip. He was only interested in getting information from Gabriel, specifically about SEP. When Jan asked something and Reyes stayed quiet, Roberta and Ajax would push his head into the bucket. The first shove into the water went a lot smoother than when Gabriel was tortured for the first time in this same method while he was in the military. He had learned to breath while the capturer talked, he held air in his lungs until he could feel it spilling through his nose. And he didn’t move, no matter how much his body told him to fight, he kept still.

When his head was pulled up, he tried to keep it forward for as long as he could for the drops of water to roll off his face and keep them away from his nose and mouth. He gasped and breathed again, refilling his body with the air he had lost.

By the end of it, Jan looked tense, his left eye gave a twitch before he said, “I have nowhere else to go for a while, and there’s still plenty of hours in the day to make you talk.”

Gabriel noted that Jan would be out of the hideout at some point then. Even if it was for a week or more, if Gabriel were to still be trapped, he would make sure to use Jan’s absence to his advantage.

Jan quickly grabbed Gabriel’s chin and lifted it up as he scanned every detail, from the short hairs on his head, down his nose, eyes and scar.

“You heard what they all said to you,” Jan reminded Gabriel. “I could let them loose on you. You’d be nothing by morning.”

But Gabriel knew it was all a bluff. Jan wasn’t done looking for information.

“I wonder what will happen when you go without your suppressants for too long.” Jan dropped the commander’s face and walked past him. “With many alphas here, I’m certain one of them will call to you, and turn you into the bitch you are.”

Gabriel frowned, but didn’t turn to look at him. He couldn’t anyways, Roberta and Ajax were still holding  him. “If you help me out, I can make sure no harm comes to you then. But if you don’t, I can’t promise I can keep all my friends away. Of course, I could sit back and watch as they tear you apart. You will howl to me all your secrets as they ravish you. And I can’t wait for that to happen.”

“Be sure to get cover that day,” Gabriel spoke up, “because I’ll be the one tearing your friends to pieces.”

Jan hummed in amusement. “We’ll see about that.”

He snapped his fingers and Gabriel was pushed into the water again, unexpectedly, as a warning.

 

Gabriel stood by the window. He thought he could get a better picture of his surroundings, but there was nothing but the yellow-brown field of the desert for miles. Wherever he was, it had to be a very secluded and forgotten part of the world he didn’t even have knowledge of. His eyes examined the window frame as he wondered if the rooms next door were also nailed shut. If he could get to one, it would be an easier plan of escape than facing down every Deadlock member in the building. He had to be at least five floors high. If the first part of his plan went right, he could be out of the window before anyone noticed he was gone.

He turned when the door opened and saw McCree entering with a smile. Ajax glared at Gabriel over the cowboy before he closed the door. The commander’s gaze fell on the sandwich McCree had brought and smelled the turkey from where he stood.

“Lunch’s served,” McCree announced, lifting the plate and a bottle of water.

McCree approached a few steps and Reyes did the same. The closer he got to the cowboy, the more details he saw of him, like the brown shade of his eyes and how the lighting in the room made them out to look like whiskey over ice.

“How old are you?” Gabriel asked.

“Twenty-four,” McCree responded, and Gabriel must have shown his surprise since he continued. “What? Shocked I’m already agin’ like fine wine?”

“You look like a fifteen year old who just got hit by puberty,” Gabriel said as he grabbed the bottle of water and the meal.

“There’s no reason to be mean,” McCree said. “I’m bringin’ ya food.”

Gabriel sniffed the sandwich quickly and took a bite. Then he handed it back to the cowboy before turning around to continue drinking from the bottle.

“Ya done?” McCree asked, the spurs of his boots jingling when he walked.

Gabriel didn’t answer, but heard McCree chewing on the sandwich a few seconds after.

“I heard Jan talkin’,” the cowboy said with his mouth full. “They say yer an omega.”

Gabriel faced McCree. He hadn’t said it mockingly, nor in a surprised or provocative way. That was usually how others reacted when they found the commander to be an omega. Most were shocked he got to where he was, but that’s what happened when someone like Gabriel grew up being turned down for what he was, having to do double the work alphas did and fighting off people that thought he would bend to them.

The room still smelled of moisture, grime, sweat and blood. The cowboy really bared no scent.

“I haven’t presented,” McCree pointed out as he sat down on the chair that had stayed where he last left it. “Don’t think I will by now.”

Gabriel shrugged. “Late bloomers exist.”

Jesse grinned and huffed. “I used to fear being an omega with these folk. They pride themselves on belittling them since a lot of the top rank members are alphas. Omegas don’t make it to those spots. They’re nothing but mates to take when alphas are bored.”

Gabriel’s jaw clenched and his gaze turned cold.

“But when I look at ya,” McCree shook his head as his gaze travelled all over Gabriel’s body. “Might not be so bad to be an omega.”

“You can always run,” Gabriel suggested and McCree laughed.

“There’s no such thing as runnin’ from Deadlock. I wouldn’t need to be an omega for them to trail my scent. I’d just have to be alive so they can finish me off.”

Gabriel didn’t know what to say to that, so he asked something else. “Do you eat?”

McCree hesitated to answer, until he shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“You always look at my plate like it’s the last meal in the world.”

“Might be.”

Gabriel hummed and left it at that.

It was McCree who talked next. “Have you felt anythin’ since you’ve been here?”

“You mean besides disgust?” Gabriel questioned.

“Nah, I mean in yer heat. Has any alpha piqued your interest?” he asked with a smirk, as if he was going to get any juicy details about Gabriel’s sexual thoughts.

Gabriel grimaced at the idea of his heat coming early for anyone on Deadlock. “No.”

“What happens if it comes?”

“Look it up online,” Gabriel replied. “I’m not having ‘the talk’ with you, cabron.”

McCree raised his hands in surrender. “¡Cálmese! Solo preguntaba. [Calm down! I was only asking]”

Gabriel looked back at the window, not interested in more conversation, but McCree walked closer. “Do you know more than that word? Or are you like the rest that just throws it at people that bother without the slightest idea of the language?”

“Probablemente se más que tú,” [I probably know more than you] Gabriel said, still looking out the window. “Pero no tengo ganas de darte una lección.” [But I don’t feel like giving you a lesson.]

“Oh,” McCree let out and when Gabriel looked at him, he was holding his hat back and smiling. “That was good. Kinda sexy too, sweetheart.”

The door opened harshly, startling McCree. Ajax walked under the frame and said, “Get out, kid. Jan wants him for more questioning soon.” His tone was surprisingly gentle compared to the grunting and the way his fist hurt against Gabriel’s face.

“Be right out,” McCree responded and looked at Gabriel.

The commander swore he saw worry, maybe fear, cross McCree’s face before he gave him half a smile and winked. McCree left, and Ajax shut the door behind them both, leaving Gabriel to prepare for his next interrogation.

 

Reyes was returned to the same place as before, the basement of the building. He was chained and hung by his wrists to the pipes on the ceiling, leaving his feet to hover over the floor. His shirt had been ripped apart by Roberta before she joined Ajax behind Gabriel. Jan stood in front of the commander, with a dagger in one hand as he pressed the tip against his other palm and turned it lightly.

“Are you ready to talk?” Jan asked.

Gabriel let his silence answer.

“Is the SEP program,” Jan asked, voice rough and stern as he stepped closer, “still going?”

“No,” Gabriel allowed him that. It was the truth, and one that would keep Jan from looking.

“Are there any other super soldiers?”

“Who knows?” Gabriel responded. “Some lived, others died. Wasn’t my job to keep track.”

“But maybe you kept contact.” Jan slid the dagger over Gabriel’s stomach. “What about Morrison? Would he have any information?”

Gabriel debated on what to answer. Whatever he said, it could be used against him. They could go after Jack.

He didn’t get a chance to answer at all when Jan continued. “If we wanted to extract what they injected into you, could we?”

Gabriel couldn’t help the laugh that came out of him. “No. Once inside, it’s a part of me. There’s no way to take it out.” And this was something Gabriel had tried before. He went to scientist and doctors. Even tracked down some of the people that created the program, but there was no way to make him a normal human again.

“Then, is there any of that crap left?”

“No—” Gabriel hissed when the blade cut through his side.

“I know you’re lying. Something tells me a company wouldn’t throw away something that was successful, especially after the positions Morrison and you ended up with.”

More questions came, most of the time they were the same ones, but Gabriel denied or didn’t answer, no matter how much it hurt. The dagger carved into his skin and he felt the blood dripping down his stomach. When the interrogation was over, he had the letters D and L carved below his chest.

 

McCree found Gabriel on the mattress, still shirtless, with drying blood over his body.

“Shit,” McCree whispered as he closed the door softly and went to Gabriel, kneeling between the commander’s legs. “Ya okay?”

“I’m fine,” Gabriel mumbled.

“Hell ya are.” McCree got on his feet. “I’ll be right back.”

The cowboy returned with a first aid kit and kneeled back on the same spot he was before. Gabriel questioned himself why was he allowing him so close, but at the moment he couldn’t care. His body was starting to hurt. His bones were ringing and going hot in a way he couldn’t explain.

He groaned when McCree pressed a moist little paper towel against his skin to wash the blood away first.

“You don’t have to bother,” Gabriel said. “They’ll be better in the morning.”

“I still wanna help ease the pain,” McCree replied. “Is that why they want ya? Ya can cure yerself?”

Gabriel hesitated to answer, but he still did. “Amongst other things.”

“Like what?”

This time he didn’t answer.

McCree huffed once he was done cleaning the blood off Gabriel’s skin. “I was wonderin’ if ya had a mark on ya. If an alpha had claimed ya.”

Gabriel glared at him, and if he hadn’t been against the wall, he would have moved away.

“Should’ve known it had to be someone really special to be yer alpha,” McCree kept talkin’ as he continued to tend to Gabriel. “I don’t know if such person exists in the world.”

The fever in Gabriel’s bones returned and his eyes widened slightly, but he looked away before McCree caught the sight.

“Better?”

The wound still burned a little, but McCree had tend to it right. “Thanks.”

“Not that I’m not enjoyin’ the show, but I can find ya a shirt.”

“No,” Gabriel said and regretted his tone when he saw how McCree retreated slightly backwards. “I don’t want them to know you’re helping me. You shouldn’t be.”

“It’s alright.” McCree collected the supplies into the med kit except for the used ones. “But I won’t press on the shirt, I really do like the pretty picture yer makin’ right now.”

Gabriel’s mouth twitched in a smile. He was thankful for the cowboy, he truly was, but he couldn’t help feeling he was being too open to him. That was dangerous in this kind of territory, and Gabriel should know better.

When McCree brought him dinner, he had almost double the food. Two chicken breasts and rice with vegetables. McCree also pulled out an extra bottle of water from his boot, which he drank. For the first time since he had been captured, Gabriel let himself enjoy a meal until he reached half, and passed it to Jesse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Though I like the title, I called this fic 'Deadlock Days' for almost a year, so I'm kinda missing that one. Might change?


	3. burning

Gabriel was growing frustrated when another day passed, and he saw no sign of Overwatch or Blackwatch coming for him. The tracker in him should have been giving his location. Unless there was something jamming the signal, there should have been no reason why it was taking so long to get him. He figured it would be up to him to save himself. It was morning and there hadn’t been any torture. Either they were taking the day off, or something special was being planned.

He realized it was the latter when he was taken to the roof of the building, where a lot of Deadlock members were. Even before he reached it, he could hear them all riled up. Part of Gabriel was expecting a rescue—maybe Blackwatch had made it through. But the hard reality hit him when he reached the center of the crowd and saw the reason there were so many there.

Two members were fighting against one another, fists to fists. They already sported bruises from the fight, or from before, and blood in their nose and mouth. Gabriel was held by Ajax and the other big guy, Pat, while Jan spoke to another member across the fighting circle. They both looked at Gabriel before the other men nodded. He must have been in charge of arranging the fights

When the round ended with the smallest guy on the floor, the bigger one with long hair was declared the winner. Jan, who had returned to Gabriel’s side, gave a key to Ajax and he started undoing the cuffs, chains and ropes around Reyes’ ankles and wrists.

Pat shoved Gabriel into the ring, and there was an uproar of cheers.

“Next up!” shouted a girl from a megaphone. “Snake, versus the Captive!”

Gabriel rolled his eyes as his opponent, Snake, apparently, started walking around him. Since he was free, Gabriel’s first thought was to run, but it was a fool’s plan. He was surrounded by Deadlock members, and way high up on the roof. He had yet to see if there was another building nearby he could jump to. He could have always climbed down, but there was no way all the members of Deadlock were unarmed. His best option was to fight, and get through as many opponents as possible. Maybe he could get rid of some attention and then get away.

Snake swung a fist, and Gabriel dodged. The Deadlock member threw another, then another. Gabriel figured out the guy’s weakness was attacking too quickly, leaving his sides open. All Gabriel had to do was dodge a few, then hit him in the ribs. A few more dodges, a block, and then another hit to the side. He kept it up until he saw the man was panting. With a few more punches and a couple of kicks, Snake fell to the ground. With boos and cans of beer thrown to the ring, the girl announced Gabriel as the winner.

Another fighter came, and Gabriel found another weakness. He was too hesitant to attack, preferred to block. So Gabriel also waited a few seconds to hit the guy, and faked the direction of the punches. With a kick to the knees, the opponent’s guard was opened, and Gabriel hit his chest and face. After a minute or less, the opponent fell. More boos, but Gabriel was smiling as the next one walked into the ring.

More opponents were thrown at him. By the fith win, a few cheers were heard in the crowd of boos. When opponent six was dragged out, the crowd was about half positive and half negative. But Gabriel’s energy was fading, even if he kept it from showing. He could feel his biceps trembling, and his kicks were getting sloppier. He knew it was part of Jan’s plan, to keep him going until he was too tired to resist any pain. It wasn’t only the other guys taking his energy away, but the desert heat and sun. His skin was glistening with sweat, and sometimes it stung his eyes, creating an opening for whomever he was against.

For the first time since he started fighting, one of them managed to get him off his feet and on the ground. The man walked around, basking in his victorious punch. Someone crouched down by Gabriel and held out his hand to help him up.

“Here.” It was McCree, and something cold was pressing to Gabriel’s other hand.

When Gabriel looked down, he had a set of golden brass knuckles.

“Can get ya a lil heads up,” McCree said and helped Gabriel to his feet before shoving him back into the ring.

Gabriel quickly put on the weapon and dodged the upcoming punch from his opponent. He punched back, and kicked. It took a few seconds, but he gained some momentum and defeated the Deadlock member. Gabriel took off the brass knuckles and hid them in the waistline of his pants before someone noticed as the girl announced him as the winner once more.

Gabriel saw McCree in the crowd, he was cheering along with a few others. He gave him a nod and Jesse tipped his hat in return. Gabriel was dragged out by Ajax and Pat. Once out of the crowd, he was poked in his chest by Jan’s finger.

“That’s what I wanted to see! You took on those guys like they were nothing!”

Gabriel was breathing heavy, and he didn’t answer.

“Don’t get me wrong, I wish they would have kicked the crap out of you. But that won’t be the only chance, people can get bored out here.” Jan turned and started walking towards the stairs. “Get him downstairs.”

When those words reached Gabriel’s ears, he had a feeling they didn’t mean the room he had been staying at. And once in the basement again, tied to a pipe, he knew he was right. His arms started to hurt from being in that position, and sweat was still rolling down his face.

This time, they were burning him with an iron bar they kept heated up in a bucket with a fire going. They left burn scars on his sides, careful not to damage the fading D and L letters done two days before. Gabriel couldn’t keep much of his groans in this time. The veins on his neck popped from the pain. He grimaced to the smell of his own melting flesh, and tried to look away as the stench stung his eyes.

Gabriel finally spoke.

“Washington!” He said over the sizzling, and Jan snapped his fingers for Pat to pull the bar. Gabriel’s body relaxed, as he had been tense from the torture.

“Say again?” Jan asked with half a grin as he twirled a cigarette between his fingers.

“There’s a base in Washington,” Gabriel started as he panted. “It was shut down—”

Jan raised his other hand to shut him up and Gabriel scowled. The Deadlock member whistled and the door opened quite quickly. McCree shuffled in, head low, mostly covered by his hat, and stood by Jan. When he raised his head, his right eye was purple, and his bottom lip swollen. Gabriel’s jaw clenched. Somehow he knew that had been his fault.

“Go on,” Jan ordered as he rested his elbow on the cowboy’s shoulder, causing him to wince.

Gabriel sighed and continued with his tale. “The base in Washington, south of Rock Creek Park in Wilhelm Street. It was shut down, but they told us they would keep working underground with the serum when they found out Overwatch was formed by Morrison and me. They offered a batch for our new agents, but we refused.”

“I see those enhancements don’t make you smarter,” Jan joked. “Why did you refuse?”

“That crap is not worth it,” Gabriel flat out told the truth. “We weren’t gonna put our agents through that.”

Jan chuckled and elbowed McCree, who chuckled back, nervous and awkward.

“You want it? You can shove it up your ass for all I care now,” Gabriel spat, body swaying forward slightly. "That shit’s not worth more of this either.”

“Oh, you think this is over?” Jan chuckled and snatched the bar from the bucket, where Pat had put it to heat up some more. He shoved it into McCree’s hands and pushed him forward. “This is your shot, kid.”

Horror flashed into McCree’s eyes, one Gabriel recognized in his agents when they witnessed their first kill. “He talked—”

“So?” Jan asked, raising his voice. “Do you think this will end here? That we’ll drop him off back where we found him? Think, McCree!” He poked the cowboy’s head, who flinched away, mouth in a thin line and one of his temples twitching. “We’re keeping him here in case he’s lying. Once we reach the place, we’ll decide what to do with him. What you’re about to do is warn him we’re not done if he’s lying.”

“I figured as much,” Gabriel said.

“Consider this as payback for what you did earlier,” Jan directed to McCree, who huffed.

“Thought I had already paid for that,” McCree mumbled.

“What was that?” Jan asked, but somehow Gabriel had a feeling he had heard clearly.

McCree ignored him and approached Gabriel, still holding the bar. Gabriel noticed it shook a little, even if McCree tried to mimic Jan’s wicked smirk.

“Quite a bunch you got here,” Gabriel said to Jesse. He knew there was no way out for McCree to do what he was told, but Gabriel could at least make it easier by talking to him as if they were alone in the room.

“Yer one to talk,” McCree said with a surprising attitude.

Reyes raised an eyebrow.

“Where are yer soldiers? That friend of yers? Seems like they’ve abandoned ya just like the world has abandoned us.”

“Don’t give me that crap.” Gabriel was unaffected by his words. “If you’re living out here it’s because you want to. If you’re hanging out with this crowd it’s because you want to. You had a choice, it’s not the world’s fault you chose wrong.”

“Ya don’t know the life I’ve had!” Jesse stepped closer and Gabriel thought he would burn him, but he kept the iron bar away.

“Neither do you know mine,” Gabriel said calmly. “Finish the job, kid.”

McCree hesitated, and Gabriel wished he hadn’t.

“Are you gonna do something or what, McCree?” Jan barked by his side. “Do you need me to burn you, too, to get it through to you?”

McCree lowered his gaze and mumbled, “No.”

“Then do your goddamn job.” Jan pushed McCree’s hat down and stepped back again.

McCree didn’t do it soon, but Gabriel knew he would in the end. And when he did, he didn’t press as hard as Jan did. Yet, Reyes acted like it was hurting just the same. It was still bad, but at least he didn’t feel like the bar was melting his bones.

McCree threw the bar at the floor after and stepped back, both hands slipped in the pockets of his skinny tight jeans, as if that would keep Jan from putting the object back into them.

“Well done, kid,” Jan praised, empty and cynical. “Keep it up and you might join the big boys one day.”

“Bite me,” McCree said.

“Don’t worry, once you first sweet heat comes, I’ll make sure to,” Jan promised, and Gabriel’s skin crawled.

McCree glared at his Deadlock buddy before he pulled out a cigarette, but he didn’t light it, simply held it between his teeth.

“Get him down,” Jan ordered to Pat and Ajax.

When Gabriel’s feet hit the ground, he heard the metal door shutting. McCree had left, and Gabriel’s gut felt tight, and his chest hollowed.


	4. pine & orange

Gabriel lay on his stomach on the mattress, as he tried not to think about the grime, blood, sweat and God knew what else touched his skin. His back and sides were hurting too much to lie or rest on anything else. Even standing caused him problems in his muscles. It didn’t help that the fever in him had returned, and he was afraid it was his heat knocking, warning him of the inevitable. He needed his pills to at least delay it. He couldn’t understand why—no alpha had triggered it, he would have known. And no smell had stood out. The same scent of desert that was in the room when he arrived still clung to the walls.

Except there was something knew. Pinyon pine in the cool nights that took over the deserts, rich and earthy. And, though had been a small pinch in a passing breeze, fresh orange.

When the door opened, the chains around Gabriel’s wrists rattled as he turned his upper body. It was only McCree, with his hands in his pockets again and gaze low. He didn’t think McCree would show up since the sun had set and there had been no sign of him.

“Hey,” McCree’s voice was hoarse, and his eyes roamed around the room until they landed on Gabriel.

“Come to yell at me some more?” Reyes asked as he crossed his arms under his chin. “Or burn me?”

“I wouldn’t,” McCree cut himself as he swallowed. “But I brought ya somethin’.”

The cowboy took off his hat and Gabriel noticed he had something else on.

Gabriel’s own gray beanie was on McCree’s head, loose and lifted, hiding something underneath. When he took that off, a jar of some kind of cream almost fell off. McCree stumbled for a second, catching it before it hit the ground.

“I couldn’t reach yer weapons and other tactical stuff, they have ‘em stored somewhere else now,” he explained as he looked at the beanie in one hand. “But they just had this layin’ around where they left it. Managed to sneak it past the guy, thought ya could use somethin’ familiar.”

“Did you see any pills by any chance?” Gabriel asked calmly, even if he was desperate for them.

McCree’s head tilted back, a mix of shock and worry. “No, darlin’, sorry. Do you need them urgently?”

Gabriel’s gut said to answer “yes”, but he couldn’t help it. If McCree saw what they were, it might reveal a weakness. “Doesn’t matter. What else you got?” He asked, nodding at the jar.

McCree tossed the container to his other hand and replied, “I got this from a sweetheart that takes care of us when we’re injured. It helps with burns like the ones I did t’ya.”

“You didn’t,” Gabriel assured him, wincing as he tried to sit up.

“Please, let me!” McCree quickly said and sat beside Gabriel’s body as the commander gave up to the pain.

“You just did it because you were asked,” Gabriel continued the conversation as McCree settled and undid the lid of the lotion. “Besides, if you hadn’t helped me, Jan would probably had left you alone.”

“I wanted t’help ya. I knew what I was doin’. Just didn’t think I’d get caught.”

Gabriel hissed when the first touch of McCree’s fingers coated with the cold lotion reached his damaged skin.

“Sorry!” The cowboy pulled away.

“It’s fine,” Gabriel groaned. “Go ahead.”

After a pause, McCree continued. Surprisingly, the burning ceased and Gabriel relaxed to the soothing touch of McCree as he applied the lotion. There were some lingering caresses on spots he wasn’t burned, but Reyes wasn’t sure if he had imagined them or if they were real. He felt his cheek heating up, and a tingling sensation coming from his spine. It was nice to be taken care of. Gabriel had forgotten what it was like. Even during his last heat, he was on his own. And outside of heats, there was no one to do these kind of gentle things.

“Let that dry for a bit,” McCree said after many hours had passed in Gabriel’s mind, but in reality it had been minutes. He closed the jar, but remained at Gabriel’s side. “I’ll bring ya somethin’ to eat later.”

Gabriel nodded, head still resting over his crossed forearms. “Thank you, Jesse.”

“No problem, Gabe.”

Gabriel didn’t remember telling his name to McCree, but it couldn’t been hard hearing it from someone else either. Yet, it perked him up in a way it shouldn’t.

McCree gave him his beanie and tipped his hat before standing up. “Be right back, cariño.”

When the cowboy was out of the room, the scent of desert sun and sand was more vivid. It was ringing in Gabriel’s bones, he could feel the sand in his lungs, suffocating him in a way nothing had before. Gabriel lowered his nose into the beanie, expecting his own smell, and gunpowder along with metal. He expected it to smell like home. But the desert welcomed him even more, as well as the Pinyon pine and orange. He could feel the needles of said tree piercing his chest, injecting the fragrance through his skin. His stomach burned with lust, with a need that hadn’t been present in so long. His hips jerked against the mattress as he felt his pants tightening and his crotch throbbing with a desire to be touched. Gabriel’s heart beated faster, and even if his mind told him to pull away, he was too intoxicated by the smell. It was unknown, yet it felt like home.

Gabriel heard a bang from downstairs and his eyes snapped open as well as his senses. He threw the beanie to the floor, yet the scent remained as if it was close. Gabriel sighed and looked at the door. He could picture the marks of where McCree’s boots had been and he longed to follow them.

He needed to get out of wherever part of hell Deadlock had him, and fast.

As he had said, McCree returned with double the portion of food as the day before. This time two dry pork chops and steamed vegetables. Gabriel was able to sit, even if McCree joked about feeding him so he wouldn’t have to.

Gabriel was halfway through his portion when McCree asked, “What’s a heat like?”

The fork stopped halfway to Gabriel’s mouth.

“Not the sex,” McCree clarified though he had a grin that told Gabriel he would still like to hear that, “Just what it feels like.”

Gabriel swallowed and lowered the fork. The question couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Gabriel feared his heat was about to arrive. And the smell of the room shifting since Jesse started coming wasn’t helping it. “It’s like a fever you can't sweat out. You shiver a lot, and there’s this…” Gabriel twirled his hand in the air, searching for a word. “Desire to be satisfied, but you can’t.”

“Without an alpha,” McCree said.

“Not necessarily,” Gabriel stated. “Many omegas without a mate deal with it on their own.”

McCree seemed surprised by the answer and leaned forward as he sat on the chair. “How?”

Gabriel cleared his throat as he thought about how to answer. “We build a nest, first of all. And we have toys.”

“Ah!” McCree smiled. “I get ya. Must be fun.”

Gabriel huffed and shook his head before he took another bite of his meal. “Sounds like it, but sometimes it’s so unbearable. It feels like I can’t enjoy it.”

“Honeybee, a beauty like you should enjoy every second of it,” McCree said as if he had been rehearsing it all day. Smooth and warm, like melting chocolate dripping on Gabriel’s tongue.

Gabriel took a sip of his bottle of water, more than he anticipated as he was feeling hot, bothered and thirsty. “What makes you think you’ll be an omega?”

McCree scoffed and leaned back on the chair. “They already boss me around as if I was one.”

Gabriel couldn’t help frowning at that.

“Treat me like I’ll never be anythin’,” McCree mumbled the last bit, looking down.

“That’s not true.” Gabriel got his attention again. “I’m an omega, and I’m one part of Overwatch’s founders. I also command my own division.”

“Ain’t Morrison an alpha?” Jesse questioned. “Read it somewhere. And he’s strike commander.”

Gabriel chuckled. “And I’m glad.” Gabriel ate more before he continued. “I didn’t want the position, not because of who I am, but because it’s tiring. I’m sure Jack hasn’t had a good sleep in a while.”

McCree smiled, and his eyes traveled over Gabriel’s naked torso, before locking with Gabriel’s gaze again. Once again, Reyes felt pine needles in his chest.

“I know another guy, Reinhardt.” Gabriel started. “Have you seen him? Really big, with armor and a hammer?”

McCree’s eyes widened. “He’s an omega?”

Gabriel nodded.

McCree whistled as he pushed his hat back. “I’ve seen ol’ videos of him, never thought of him as an omega.”

“It is rare, to be honest, that soldiers are omega, but there are some in Overwatch,” Gabriel stated and took another sip. “And even if you do end up being one, you shouldn’t let it define you or give the rest permission to put you down.”

McCree nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. “I shouldn’t…” He drawled, gaze growing distant.

Gabriel didn’t speak for a moment, thinking Jesse would continue, but he didn’t. Then a light bulb flashed in Gabriel’s head. “You’re worried of presenting here?”

McCree took his time, but nodded.

“Shit,” Gabriel whispered. “I get it.”

“I might not, I mean, there are people that don’t, right?” McCree sounded hopeful.

“Yeah,” Gabriel responded, but didn’t say it was a small percentage. He was about to ask what if he ran? But Gabriel knew better. Gangs like Deadlock didn’t take leavers too kindly. Even if they didn’t make McCree their priority, they would be looking for him at some point. And it was not like they were in a big city were Jesse could hide and travel faster and further. There was sand for miles and miles. Who knew how long he would last before someone found him and brought him back just to execute him.

“Ya know I didn’t mean anythin’ by it earlier, what I said about ya ‘n’ Overwatch.”

Gabriel was confused, as he was brought back from his thoughts. “What?”

“‘Bout how they abandoned ya, I didn’t mean it.”

“It’s okay, vaquero,” Gabriel said, lightly. He had paid no mind to the comment.

One corner of McCree’s mouth twitched. “But I do wonder, I haven’t seen or heard anythin’ ‘bout them looking or you gone missin’. We thought they’d be crazy searchin’ for ya.”

Gabriel pondered about telling him, but the smell around him had him tipsy. “They wouldn’t want the world to know I’m missing, it would give the people that want us gone an opening.”

McCree nodded. “That’s true.”

Gabriel finished his half of the meal in silence, while McCree started talking about the few memories he had as a child before his parents passed. He didn’t go into much detail as to how, but Gabriel didn’t ask. Some secrecy between both could help, even if his body didn’t care about them getting to know one another. Though Gabriel was distracted, he didn’t want to be. He kept smelling the desert, orange and pine all around him, and a gust blew against his face when Jesse stepped closer to grab the plate. Gabriel stayed looking at McCree as he ate. There was just no way. The cowboy hadn’t presented, but yet the scent was there, or so Gabriel thought. For all he know the heat and malnutrition plus the hours of torture had him smelling things that weren’t there .

Yeah, it was that. But just in case Gabriel lied and said he was tired and wanted to sleep. Luckily, McCree didn’t push and left him alone for the rest of the night, even if the scent stayed in the air like a ghost. After an hour or so of no sleep, Gabriel picked up the beanie from where he had dropped it and told himself he was only testing if the smell was still between the fibers of the fabric. He realized it was when the room spun and shifted to an oasis instead of a prison, and he started to fall asleep.


	5. feral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra chapter this week since I didn't post one last week. My mental calendar is very off these days. We're also closer to the end, and I really enjoy writing these chapters. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Next chap, the steamy stuff begin.

The following day was uneventful. The burns were healing, and the D and L were only shadows of scars. He could stand and walk around the room, but no matter where he moved, he couldn’t escape the new fragrances. Besides McCree with breakfast and lunch, no one else came. Gabriel guessed they were looking into the fake confession he gave. Whether Jan was in the hideout or not, he didn’t know.

He got his answer when dinner came. Jesse arrived with two sandwiches and Gabriel asked. McCree, after barely saying a word, said there was a crew in Washington looking over the base. After that, McCree took longer to eat, as if he was remembering all his life’s choices up to that point.

“McCree,” Gabriel said when the silence was too heavy on him. Too unnerving.

“It’s a lie, ain’t it?” McCree asked, taking Gabriel aback. “The base.”

Gabriel hesitated and looked around. He thought about who could be behind the door, if there was someone listening through other ways. He only nodded.

“Fuck,” McCree said. “They won’t take it lightly when they return.”

Gabriel sighed. “I know. But I had to buy myself time.”

“Time,” McCree repeated, and somehow Gabriel received the second part of the sentence.  _ To escape. _

“How much time do you think I have?”

McCree huffed. “Maybe twelve hours. What’d ya got?”

Gabriel didn’t answer, because he had nothing. Because he had been too distracted and struck by the new aroma to be able to think straight.

“I need to tell ya somethin’.” McCree’s gaze dropped, and Gabriel swallowed. “I know why Overwatch hasn’t found you.”

Gabriel breathed, and felt embarrassed for himself for the dramatics and weakness he had shown recently.

“There’s a device on the building that shuts down all communication in the area,” McCree said, planting his feet on the ground. “I figured ya had a tracker on hand or something in ya. They also had a smaller one in the van they brought ya in. For all Overwatch knows, ya might be dead or simply unreachable. ”

“Are you sure?” Gabriel asked.

“Positive. If we gotta make a call, we have to walk out of the area. In case of important messages, we got a guy in a tower just outside the range. He signals us for anythin’.” McCree points his thumb behind him, indicating said tower would be out of Gabriel’s sight if he looked out the window.

Gabriel sighed, there was a plan right there. “McCree, will you help me?”

“Help you escape?” McCree asked in a surprised tone that Gabriel wasn’t expecting. “Ya nuts?”

“Not necessary escape,” Gabriel quickly said, lowering his voice. “If we can shut down the device for just a minute, it’ll be enough to get my tracker noticed. They can find me.”

McCree didn’t say anything, but looked out the window. And Gabriel understood; giving him a pair of brass knuckles was one thing, helping him escape was a whole other thing. “What will happen to me, then?”

Gabriel didn’t have an answer at first. “You’ll come with me.” Jesse looked back at Gabriel, interested in the answer. “We gotta make sure you’re with me when they come. Once I explain how you helped me, they will take you along.”

“And then what?” McCree asked with a laugh. “I’m a criminal, Gabe.”

Gabriel’s mouth opened, but no words came out because it was true. “I didn’t catch you doing anything wrong. All this time you’ve given me food, risked your own skin to help me in the fight, and if you help me be found, that’ll be enough to give you a chance.” McCree didn’t look convinced. “Jesse, if you help me, we can figure something out.”

Suddenly McCree was not the scrawny cowboy he met days ago. His looks were the same, sure, but there was a new air of confidence in him. His gaze was sharp, and his footing strong as he stood up. “Say my name again.”

Gabriel’s mouth opened, but he sucked in a breath at the request. Then the tip of his tongue poked out to lick his bottom lip, dry as the desert itself. “Jesse.”

McCree nodded so softly it was almost missed by Gabriel. Then he smiled, and Gabriel’s stomach twisted. 

“I’ll do it, sugar.”

Gabriel got no other visits until the next morning, except McCree who brought him breakfast sandwiches. They went over the plan briefly, and Gabriel tried his best to keep his focus, even if the scent of Pinyon pine, orange and desert was getting him delirious.

“I know a guy that owes money to another,” McCree said with his mouthful of eggs and bread. “I can get those two fighthin’ in no time. It’ll cause a diversion, enough for me to sneak up n’mess the device.”

“Do you know how it works? How to operate it?” Gabriel questioned, holding his half eaten sandwich in his hand between his legs.

“I just gotta shut it down, it’ll be enough,” Jesse replied.

Gabriel nodded before he said, “All we gotta do after that is make sure you’re with me. If the signal makes it through, I won’t give it more than eight hours for them to come.” Gabriel found the flaw in the plan. McCree would hang around the room more until every nook and cranny was covered in his scent. And Gabriel could feel his heat about to hit, and if his alpha was meant to be Jesse then it meant his rut was not too far.

“I know we talked ‘bout heats,” McCree mumbled, and Gabriel felt he was starting to sweat from the question than just the natural hot weather. “But I was wonderin’, how would I know who my alpha is?”

Gabriel swallowed down a gulp of lukewarm water that was enough to allow him to answer, “Usually alphas pick the omegas, but you might know too. Their scent will feel familiar, yet new and adventurous.”

McCree nodded. “And they’ll mark me?”

“If it’s mutual,” Gabriel responded, and McCree rubbed his neck. “You won’t have to worry about presenting here, soon.”

Jesse chuckled. “That’s if this whole plan works.”

“It’s a long shot, but I think it’s the best we’ve got. Last resort is running through the desert without much in our pockets.”

“Plan B then,” McCree added, and the rest was quiet.

McCree returned later, but sooner than Gabriel anticipated. And nothing seemed out of the ordinary around them; the plan hadn’t started. The cowboy’s shoulders were low, and his eyelids half closed. Gabriel flinched. The smell was pungent, more alive than before. And McCree snapped his head up, the black pool of his pupils swallowing the brown around them. 

“What happened?” Gabriel asked, worried the plan might have been ruined.

McCree shook his head lightly. “Guys should be goin’ at each other in a bit, it’s just that I didn’t know where to go.”

Gabriel studied McCree carefully, as he paused, breathing deeply. His exhales came out stuttering, like he was shivering.

“Gabriel,” he said, stalking closer. “I’m feelin’...” he drawled and swallowed. “Is it time?”

“Jesse, you gotta stay calm,” Gabriel said, arms still bound at the wrists, but his hands up, keeping Jesse from walking closer. “Breath in, and out.”

“I try, but all I can feel…” McCree looked around the room briefly, until his gaze fell on Gabriel. “ _ You _ .”

Gabriel gave a step back. Jesse’s eyes were sharp like broken glass. The little brown Gabriel could see had turned to gold. Reyes should have been more careful, shouldn’t have made such promise to McCree. But now he understood why he was so docile with Jesse. He was an alpha.

“Gabe?” McCree asked with his voice low, and a hint of fright on his tongue.

The door burst opened, and Jan marched in, along with Ajax and Pat. “It seems you learned nothing from our time together.”

McCree turned to them, positioned protectively in front of Gabriel.

“Get out of the way, kid,” Ajax said.

“Wait,” Jan said, stepping forward and looking at McCree until his grin widened. “Well, I’ll be damned. We’ve got ourselves a new alpha.”

Gabriel felt his legs giving out. McCree was enough to get him weak, but with three more alphas on the room, he felt he would drop at any second. His own body was pulling him down into submission. But Gabriel steadied his feet, and bit his tongue.

“Gotta say I’m surprised this one came out as an alpha,” Jan tilted his head, eyeing McCree from head to toe. “I was sure we had beaten him down into an omega.”

“That’s not how it works,” Gabriel said from behind Jesse.

“You won’t touch him,” McCree ordered, but Jan laughed, and Pat chuckled.

“Get him out of here,” Jan said with a nod of his head.

It was Ajax who grabbed him, even if McCree fought to be set free. He was pulled out of the room, teeth clenching and growling as he looked at Gabriel. His hat fell along the way, and his long hair was wild, sticking to his face due to the layer of sweat over his forehead.

“I don’t know what type of stunt you were trying to pull, but while my guys went looking for your base, I was planning something else.” With a snap of Jan’s finger, Pat grabbed Gabriel’s bicep.

Once by Gabriel’s side, Pat breathed in, and groaned in a way that made Gabriel grimace.

“Boss,” Pat hummed.

“Bring. Him,” Jan ordered before he left the room.

Gabriel was taken to another room in the basement that had two cheap beds and a device in between them. The machine in the middle looked too medical to be in Deadlock’s hands. There was another guy in the room, and Gabriel recognized him from the fight, but his mind was too hazy much to figure out which one he was.

“He’s in heat,” the other guy said with widened eyes before half of his mouth twitched in a smirk.

“So?” Jan seemed to be unaffected by Gabriel as he said, “I don’t think there will be much resistance from him.”

Gabriel struggled, but Pat ended up winning. He strapped the commander to one bed while the other guy laid in the other. Jan worked in between them, injecting a needle with a tube into Gabriel’s forearm that lead to the machine, and another from the machine to the second guy.

“This is not how it works,” Gabriel said when he realized Jan wanted to give the other guy his blood to see if it would take something from the enhancement. But that serum was more than just in his blood. It was in his bones, in his lungs, in his heart. It was everywhere, doing things to Gabriel’s body, things he didn’t want, and had no other option but to adapt to them.

“Did you know you sent us to a functioning police station?” Jan ignored Gabriel’s statement. “Bet you did, and thought you could make a fool out of me.”

“You don’t need my help for that.” Gabriel tried to buy himself more time, even as he heard a beep from the machine.

“I hope that wit stays once I’ve drained you empty. Because if this works,” Jan patted the machine, “you’ll never see the light of day again.”

“It won’t,” Gabriel said, mouth tight, trying to keep himself in some control as the scent of the alphas around him was clouding his mind.

Gabriel saw his own blood being sucked by the tube. His eyes followed the crimson trail into the machine and out the other tube. When it reached the man, he winced. Gabriel looked away. He was in heat, the last thing he needed was blood being taken from him, leaving him weaker than he already was.

Then the room went dark, and the machine gave a beep before it shut down.

“What’s happening?” Jan asked, and Gabriel heard him pushing buttons on the equipment.

“Seems the power went out,” Pat said as he pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight in it.

Gabriel looked at the door and Pat shined the light on it. It was Ajax. “The power’s out in the whole building.”

“Shit,” Jan hissed and by the light turning on him Gabriel saw Jan looking at him. “What did you do?”

“Nothing, been too busy being strapped to this bed,” Gabriel replied, but Jan ignored him as he looked back at the others.

“Can you find the source?”

“Albert’s checking the generator,” Ajax said.

Jan looked back at Gabriel, gaze set on something, a realization. “Take him back to the room, make sure no one goes in.”

Ajax and Pat unstrapped Gabriel from the bed and took him up the stairs. Jan and the other guy followed closely behind. On their way, Gabriel noticed other members looking. Men and women who growled, who saw him as their next meal. He tried to keep his eyes looking ahead, away from lingering gazes that might take a look as an invitation. Once he was in the room, he felt some relief, even if it smelled like McCree.

He was left alone, with the first wave of his heat crashing into him, pulling him down to his knees and leaving him curled on the mattress. He wanted Jesse. His body ached for another that it has never felt close. And Jesse was nowhere to be seen. His scent was distant, his own scent, the one with sweat and smoke.

Gabriel wondered if the plan worked. He focused on it. He hoped Overwatch got his signal, that Jack’s tablet blinked to life and he saw it, Ana too. He wished and prayed they were getting on a shuttle just as he was shivering and sweating.

The door opened and Gabriel perked up at the smell of alphas, but none where his.

Jan, Pat, Ajax and a few others crowded in, all eyes on him like he was a piece of meat. Gabriel stood, ignoring how weak he appeared. He wouldn’t be taken that easy.

“I gave you many chances,” Jan started. Whatever control he had earlier wasn’t there as he stood in front of Gabriel. His brown eyes were as wild as McCree’s, but they weren’t as strikingly beautiful. “I told you I wouldn’t be able to control my guys.”

Gabriel didn’t talk, he couldn’t trust his voice to.

“Have you changed your mind?” Jan tilted his head and walked forward. “Do you wanna talk now?”

Gabriel bared his teeth, and frowned. His body wanted to give in, but he would not succumb to his instincts. If his plan was to come out unharmed, he would have to tell the truth, no more bullshit. But who was to say they wouldn’t go after him after his confession?

Gabriel was ready to give it one last try, to fight them off even if he had to be reasonable, he would not get too far.

Someone else entered the room and all Deadlock members turned to look before six shots were fired. Only Jan and Ajax remained standing. Under the door frame stood McCree, with a revolver in hand. He approached Gabriel fast, quickly picking his hat from the floor, and stopped between him and Jan.

“Jesus Christ, kid,” Ajax whispered, a mixture of fright and surprised in his voice.

“Mine,” Jesse growled at Jan.

“I thought we had taken that from you,” Jan said and McCree aimed the gun at his temple.

“Ya won’t take anythin’ from me anymore.” His voice had a new coat. It was still smooth, but animal. He was ready to command, not to follow.

Jan raised his hands. “If you can break him in, I’ll promote you to my rank, McCree.”

There was no answer from McCree.

“Do you know how much information from him will please Devon?” Gabriel had heard that name during his research for Deadlock; Devon was their leader. “You can keep the gun, always. You can go on bigger runs and boss people around. C’mon, doesn’t that sound good?”

McCree’s gun lowered and Jan looked confident in the result. He backed away and put down his hands. McCree turned around and pulled Gabriel by the ropes and chains between his wrists. He was ready to take him, and Gabriel had no will power to plant his feet and stop him.

Jan whistled and when McCree turned around, he was tossed a pair of keys. McCree didn’t ask, he turned and continued out of the room. There were some members in the halls and stairs, but they were all shoved by McCree if they were in the way. It seemed they knew he was an alpha on a rut, and the blood splatters on his face were another sign that he would kill whoever took his mate.

In normal circumstances, it would have disgusted Gabriel, but he couldn’t lie. Once he saw it had been McCree that shot six guys bigger than him for Gabriel, the commander had no hope of resisting the new alpha. Once he saw the feral and protective look in Jesse’s eyes, how he growled, how he moved, Gabriel knew he would be his.


	6. wild things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick update I wanna post here for anyone that might also read 'Darlin' Don't You Join In', it'll be on a posting hiatus because I want to write a few chapters before I post again so I can give it my best.
> 
> As for this chapter full of sex, I hope you enjoy it!

They reached a room in the highest floor, seemed to be one of the nice ones since it had a bedframe, a mattress that looked decent with sheets and pillows, as well as a dresser. The lock of the door clicked behind Gabriel, sending a chill down his back. Then the legs of the dresser grasped against the floor and Gabriel turned to see Jesse pushing it to barricade the door.

“I’ve got yer stuff,” McCree said and looked to a corner where a duffle bag was set on the floor. “Found yer uniform, phone and guns.”

“Jesse,” Gabriel panted as the cowboy returned to him, hoisting his gun and taking out a pocket knife to rip through the ropes around Gabriel’s wrists and ankles. “McCree,” Gabriel called, but Jesse had a mission. Once the ropes and zip ties were broken, Jesse used the keys to unlock the cuffs.

“Say my name again,” McCree said and he smiled. Teeth exposed and pupils still blown.

“Dios,” Gabriel murmured breathlessly and swallowed. Hands finally dropping to his sides after days of being in front of his hips.

“Close,” Jesse joked, stepping closer to Gabriel until their breaths danced together in the air. “How long have you felt me? How long have you been smelling me?”

“A few days,” Gabriel almost whispered in response.

“Good. ‘Cause you’re all mine, cupcake. Ya wanted me n’ I’m here to take ya, if ya let me.”

Their bottom lips brushed lightly, and just by that Gabriel felt Jesse had sucked the life out of him. The commander, always so regal and in control, crumbled and nodded.

Jesse leaned in to kiss him, breathing through his nose. And Gabriel felt the impact stronger than it probably was. His hands were in the air at first, not exactly sure what to do until Jesse slid his own over Gabriel’s naked sides. His skin raised in goosebumps, loving the gentle touch after the abuse of the last few days. Then Gabriel moved his hands over McCree’s, feeling his sharp knuckles, the softness of the hairs on his arms and up his biceps until he reached Jesse’s neck.

McCree started pushing Gabriel, and the commander allowed himself to be moved until the back of his knees hit the bed. Both fell in the creaking furniture, bodies bouncing lightly and Jesse laughed when their teeth clacked together. When that ceased, he was back to drinking Gabriel’s air and nibbling on his lips. Then he moved to kiss down the older man’s jaw and neck, where he took his sweet time smelling and kissing. If Jesse didn’t know about scenting, he was doing it by pure instinct. From that point on, Gabriel would carry Jesse’s scent for all other alphas to know he belonged to someone.

“Sweetheart,” Jesse murmured against Gabriel’s skin. His tone belonged to a drunk man, intoxicated with Gabriel’s scent. “Yer burnin’ me up.”

Gabriel felt hot all over. He was aware of every little sound, touch and smell in the room, especially since the more pungent scent around him was Jesse’s. Gabriel was aware of where the cowboy’s fingers, mouth and knees were at every moment. His lips roamed up and down his neck. Fingertips grazed his biceps, over his ribs and hips. And his knee was pushing up against Gabriel’s crotch, teasing at the moist tent.

Suddenly, Gabriel realized how gross he was. He had a layer of all the grime and sweat accumulated from days of captivity. His skin bared new scars and dried blood. His pants also carried dirt and stink from the week.

Against his will, Gabriel pressed his hands against Jesse’s chest. “Jesse.”

McCree pulled away, and he was smiling until Gabriel sat up, grimacing when he felt specs of dirt on the mattress.

“What is it, sugar?” He asked, so gently, and his hand pressed against Gabriel’s cheek. “I know yer not thinkin’ straight, but I can stop if ya wish.” He then laughed, knowing such thing was impossible from both sides. “Might be hard to get me away from ya, but I don’t wanna do this if you’ll regret it.”

“It’s not you,” Gabriel said, looking to the side, a little embarrassed that he’s body didn’t care where they were. They could be fucking in the sewers for all it cared.

“It’s the place, I know, darlin’,” Jesse finished and kissed the commander’s temple. Then he leaned his forehead against it, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. Gabriel did the same. “Shit, Gabe. Ya got me enchanted. Think yer team got the signal?”

“I hope so,” Gabriel answered in a whisper. He turned his head to look at Jesse.

Both their gazes were half lidded, but Jesse bared a smile that made Gabriel’s stomach feel like it carried lava. There was no way he could handle hours like this with no relief, especially with Jesse so close. He clung to Jesse’s shirt and vest, in battle with himself and what he wanted. “Jesse.”

“To be honest with ya, babe, I don’t care where I fuck ya, only that I get to,” Jesse said, close to Gabriel’s ear. “All I can smell is sweet tres leches,” he planted a kiss under Gabriel’s earlobe and laughed lightly, “Steel,” another kiss, “and summer.”

Gabriel laid back down on the bed by the force of Jesse’s words as they melted on his skin.

“Let me do it all, darlin’,” Jesse cooed as he kissed down Gabriel’s chest and stomach. “Can’t lie, I wanted to get my hands on ya since I saw ya in the desert. Thought it was the heat playin’ games with me when I saw such an angel.” He kissed over the scars of the D and L, purifying them, lifting the violence for a moment. Gabriel’s skin felt renewed, clear of such corrupted marks and the tales behind them.

Gabriel arched his back upwards, pressing on Jesse’s head, and sort of pushing down as well until the cowboy’s lips kissed the tender spot between the waistline of his pants and his belly button. Every peck was a spark of fire that tingled up Reyes’ body. He saw the stars behind his closed eyelids, and felt velvet nebulas on his tongue as he murmured Jesse’s name.

Gabriel lifted his head when he felt Jesse getting off him to put the gun and its hoister on the dresser. Gabriel was about to complain, to call him back, but the words choked on his mouth when the cowboy pulled down his pants and underwear in one go. It wasn’t only the notion, but what the clothing hid. Gabriel rose higher, almost sitting up, eyes set on the hard, fat cock between Jesse’s thighs, who caught his hunger and smirked before he crawled over the commander.

“See something ya like?” He asked, lips close to Gabriel’s as he drank in the sigh that escaped the older man.

Gabriel didn’t have words to respond to that, so he put his mouth to better use and kissed McCree like the world was ending.

“Fuck me, Jesse,” Gabriel hissed when his head started spinning, when it was too much to hold.

“Gladly, pumpkin,” Jesse kissed him once more, and Gabriel desperately chased after until Jesse was too far out of his reach.

Jesse went over to his pants thrown on the floor and fumbled with them until he pulled out a condom from one of the pockets. Gabriel bit back a remark about Jesse believing he would get lucky simply because he did not want to delay it any longer. Gabriel’s pants was pulled off right after, and Jesse bit his lip at the sight of Gabriel’s aroused cock.

“Ya ain’t bad yerself,” he commented as Gabriel crawled back to reach the pillow. Jesse kneeled in the bed and moved like a tiger on the prowl. “Gettin’ away from me, now, cupcake? Are ya scared?”

Gabriel managed to scoff when their faces were close again, even if there was a press to his chest and a burning in his lungs as well as a sparks tickling his skin. “I’ve handled worse, vaquero.”

Jesse bared his teeth in a grin, and a sound came from his chest. A rumble between a purr and a growl. “Don’t make me jealous, sweetheart.”

Gabriel blinked and next thing he knew his wrists were pinned to the bed and they were kissing again. Gabriel could easily push McCree off, even with his heat controlling most of his body and mind. And yet he was loving the feeling of being trapped, of being Jesse’s victim. He even thought of what McCree would do if Gabriel ran. He would probably take out his gun again, and burn the building down looking for Gabriel.

A thrill ran up Gabriel’s spine as he curved up, pressing their cocks together in a blissful touch that had both moaning into each other’s mouths. The cowboy mouthed down Gabriel’s jaw and neck, calling him names as sweet as “angel,” “cariño,” “corazón,” as well as making filthy promises about burying Gabriel into the mattress until the bed broke and the walls crumbled to dust by their lovemaking.

When Jesse reached Gabriel’s hips, he bit down, probably wanting to leave bruises and marks. And Gabriel didn’t stop him. They were nothing, only traces of their rut and heat. Even so, it had Gabriel jerking his waist up.

Another one of those feral noises came out of Jesse as his hand wrapped around Gabriel’s cock. The older man gasped and one hand flew to Jesse’s hair.

“So sensitive, ‘n’ needy,” Jesse said, gazing up at Gabriel before he licked up Gabriel’s hipbone. “I wonder…”

He never finished his sentence with words, but slipped his fingers into Gabriel’s slicked hole. The sheets were already soaked underneath him, and he had left a faded trail from the edge of the bed to where he laid. Jesse watched Gabriel carefully, how he squirmed as he was fucked from the back and front. While Jesse’s fist was gentle, moving and twisting as if he was holding a flower, the fingers of his other hand pistoled into Gabriel under his thighs. It was the perfect mix for Gabriel to come in minutes, whimpering and calling Jesse’s name until his lips and throat were dry.

Even after, Jesse didn’t stop. He was transfixed by the image before him. He licked and bit his own lips until they were swollen and shiny. The beautiful brown of his eyes was hardly visible from how dark they were. He was ready to take all Gabriel had to give him again and again, even if it meant forgetting his own fat cock leaking.

But Gabriel needed him closer. He needed his alpha inside already or he felt he would combust. If Jesse wouldn’t get to it, he would have no problem tying the cowboy down and riding him himself.

“Jesse,” Gabriel was the one to growl then, and dug his nails into Jesse’s hairy forearm. But the cowboy only laughed as if Gabriel was something cute and harmless.

“I’m getting there, sweetcheeks,” Jesse said and pulled out the three fingers he had used to spread Gabriel open.

It surprised Gabriel when Jesse sat on his heels and pulled the commander. His legs hung over Jesse’s hips, leaving his upper back still on the mattress. Jesse stroked Gabriel’s cock some more as he positioned himself better. Gabriel bit down on his tongue when he felt the head of Jesse’s member pressing and slipping in right after. He moved his head back and shut his eyes as he sighed, welcoming the sweet fill and presence of an alpha after so many years of weak toys and fingers that hardly got the job done over a lonely bed.

As he felt Jesse going deeper, Gabriel had to stop him. “You can’t…” but he couldn’t finish.

“No knot?” Jesse read him like an open book. And Gabriel’s chest pressed tighter.

Gabriel shook his head and got a wink in return. Gabriel couldn’t risk ending up in such a compromising position for too long. Who knew when Jan would get tired of waiting and come after him, or any other Deadlock member. Reyes was already weak enough, he didn’t need things to be worse.

“I love this position,” Jesse said, but his hips had remained still. “I can see yer body perfectly, sugar.” His hands moved over Gabriel’s hips, sculpted stomach and where he could reach to his chest, teasing one nipple between a finger and his thumb.

“Move,” Gabriel hissed, turning his head to the side to hopefully hide his pink dusted cheeks.

“Yessir.”

The drawl and response got a bigger reaction than Gabriel ever thought something so simple could. A bead of come leaked out of his cock, and Jesse spread it along with the results of Gabriel’s previous orgasm as he started stroking again.

The first thrust had Gabriel gasping, the second made his eyes roll to the back of his eyes, and by the third he was sure he could feel Jesse up to his stomach.

“Fuck, I can’t—” Jesse groaned, and carved half-moons on Gabriel’s side as he held him still. His hips picked up pace, jackrabbiting into the omega with no mercy, only a  goal to tear him apart. “Ya feel divine around me, Gabe.”

Gabriel lifted his hands over his head and held onto the pillow. At some point he heard the tearing of fabric when Jesse positioned lifted himself higher and continued to fuck into Reyes.

“Shit, ya are a piece of art like this,” Jesse praised him as he watched Gabriel’s skin shimmering like gold under a layer of sweat. His own hair stuck to his forehead, oily and wild. Too long and tempting for Gabriel to pull. But the commander didn’t trust his own strength at a time like that, especially after tearing in half the cover of the pillow.

“I can almost see yer wings, angel.” Jesse was delirious. Intoxicated in their scent and the stench of sex. “Sculpted from marvel, sent down here to burn me in my own sins.”

Gabriel listened to Jesse’s prayers as his body bounced on the cowboy’s cock. His insides were being molded to fit Jesse, and only him. If that was going to be the only time, Gabriel had a feeling the next alpha to take him next wouldn’t fill him up. He would still feel empty, longing for Jesse, and for a knot he might never get to experience.

Jesse leaned down to kiss Gabriel, and his cock hit the right spot. It was impossible for Gabriel to keep his mouth shut as Jesse smiled and continued the assault on his tender center.

Gabriel came again, and Jesse filled him up after he had more fun using Gabriel’s body as his own toy to reach the climax. But it wasn’t enough, and it wouldn’t be until Gabriel was stretched around Jesse’s knot and bore his mark on the crook of his neck. It felt like a wish that would never be fulfilled. An illusion caused by the heat of the desert. Their sticky foreheads touched as they panted, and their glossy eyes met in a hazy dream-like vision before lazy kisses were peppered over Gabriel’s temple, nose, cheeks and lips.

“Turn around,” Jesse ordered, without a smile or a possibility that the commander could deny him.

In those seconds that Gabriel’s hole gaped, empty, he missed the alpha. His heart stopped for a second when the thought of Jesse leaving brushed his mind, but it was quickly wiped when the already familiar crown of McCree’s cock pressed into him again.

“This is as gorgeous as the other way,” Jesse praised Gabriel before the thunder of Jesse slapping Gabriel’s ass that was followed by a burn, and, most likely, a hand shaped red mark. Jesse used both hands to grab and spread Gabriel’s cheeks, whistling at the sinful sight of his cock surrounded by Gabriel’s rim. He pulled out and back, slow at first, and this time he took his time to hasten the rhythm.

Gabriel buried his head in the pillow, and bit down when Jesse returned to his rough nature—a wolf mating and growling as a threat to take a bite of the delicacy that was Gabriel. Jesse laid over Reyes’ back as he continued, and wrapped an arm around the commander’s forehead to pull it back and have easy access to his neck. Jesse pressed his nose against the spot, sniffing and licking where the scent was more vivid. Where the mark of a mate was supposed to go.

Jesse’s chest rattled with a growl, a predator being denied his prey. He made up for having to hold the urge to mark Reyes by thrusting deeper and faster, cutting Gabriel’s moans into hiccups. Jesse turned them on their side, and continued the same violent thrusts. Gabriel was sure there was no space between them, and he was loving it.

The bed rattled against the wall, and so did the sky with the familiar noise of a shuttle. Gabriel dug his nails into Jesse’s hip as the cowboy continued to ram into him without a care of how wrecked Gabriel would be by the end.

“Fuck, fuck,” Gabriel said over and over.

They kissed over the commander’s shoulder with the sound of war in the background. Men were shouting, fighting and most likely dying outside, but Gabriel couldn’t find it in him to care as he gasped into Jesse’s needy mouth. The cowboy clawed at Gabriel’s chest, feeling the flesh on his pecs bouncing with every thrust.

The week had been full of things Gabriel shouldn’t have done. One of them was picturing the world burning, unveiling a new Eden that would surround Jesse and Gabriel, the only survivors. It was too romantic for a heat, too passionate for what could have been a fling. A desperate attempt to survive a sea of alphas in the middle of nowhere. Yet, Gabriel relished every kiss Jesse offered, and moaned his name in return. They reached their blissful climax together, bodies linked and knot just out of his reach. A dreadful feeling sunk in Gabriel, but he knew he was doing the right thing.

Gabriel dropped to the mattress as he panted, and Jesse did the same against the back of his neck. He could feel the cowboy’s heartbeat against his back. Even after the orgasm, the heat and rut were still teaming up with the goal of melting away Jesse and Gabriel’s skin so their hearts could meet and beat by one another. The chaos outside ceased, and even if Gabriel knew he had to focus, he couldn’t. Jesse still had all his drunken attention. The cowboy’s hands never stopped mapping out lines and curves on Gabriel’s body, his lips continued to praise the commander’s body as if he was a god made of marble and gold. The cracks between his skin felt like they could grow flowers at McCree’s prose, and the warmth of Jesse’s fingers felt like sunlight healing his wounds.

A knock on the door startled him, and Jesse looked in the direction of the sound with a frown that could snap the wood in half.

“Gabe?” Jack’s voice came from the other side. “Are you alright?”

“They’re here,” Gabriel said. “Morrison.”

Jesse moved and sat between Gabriel’s legs to the smell of another alpha closing in on Gabriel. His eyes were set on the door, waiting for whoever it was to open.

“Jesse.” Gabriel tried to say it was okay, but he was still spiraling into his heat. And seeing McCree so protective wasn’t helping.

“Gabriel?” Jack sounded more alarmed.

“I’m fine,” Gabriel said loud, then more quiet at Jesse, “let me handle him.”

Jesse wasn’t convinced, but he still allowed Gabriel to get out of bed so they both could get their pants on. Gabriel felt his bones aching as he left the mattress, and approaching the door wasn’t much better. Jack’s scent was familiar and welcomed even if he was unavailable, which sometimes made it worse. Still Gabriel moved the dresser with the help of Jesse and he opened the door.

Jack held his rifle at hand, but wasn’t aiming. The soldiers behind him were.

“Stand down,” Gabriel ordered, shielding Jesse from their aim.

“I could smell you halfway up the stairs.” Jack’s expression was filled with worry and protectiveness. “We need to get you out of here.”

Gabriel nodded and then tilted his head back at Jesse. “He comes with me.”

Gabriel watched how Jack looked at Jesse from head to toe. “He’s from Deadlock.”

“I need him,” Gabriel insisted, and he hoped Jack understood. He needed many things, a shower for example. His own bed where he could nest and sleep as well as warm food. But at the end of it all, he knew he would need Jesse more than those things. He would crave his alpha’s scent and body like he craved water after a run. Like a deep gasp of fresh air after drowning in cold, lonely waters.

Jack hesitated, but his eyes widened as he looked at Gabriel again and his nose wrinkled. He wasn’t just smelling Gabriel, but Jesse’s scent as well. He knew something had happened already.

He raised his hand and his soldiers lowered their weapons. “Fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the comments!
> 
> You can follow me on tumblr and twitter, both @ hellagaymccree for updates and other writing.


	7. colliding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention the last two chapters will just be sex and some talk about feelings?
> 
> I'll probably post the last one on Monday-Tuesday.

**** “He can’t stay here,” Jack said during the excruciating thirty minute talk he, Gabriel and Ana had once Gabriel was back on base. “You were malnourished, and tortured. It is understandable that you were not thinking clearly.”

“You think I made a mistake?” Gabriel asked, a cup of tea between his hands, a blend of ginger, lemon, green tea and honey. A medical remedy the doctors at Overwatch had come up with to soothe an omega’s urges for a while. Jack insisted they needed to discuss the matter of a criminal amongst them before Gabriel and he became mates.

Jack’s eyes darted to the exposed neck over Gabriel’s loose shirt. “Not yet.”

Said criminal was being held in a cell as the trio spoke. The thought made Gabriel’s stomach turn. Jesse was probably given nothing to calm his rut. His first rut. But Gabriel was glad the revolver was taken from him, the last thing he needed was for his alpha to go around shooting soldiers in the name of love.

_ His alpha. _

_ Love. _

Gabriel shook those words away. No mark had been made, no matter if Jesse caused Gabriel’s heat to come early, it meant nothing, and Gabriel needed to have that clear. Jack reminded him anyways.

“You were surrounded by alphas, and it so happened his first rut was coming,” the Strike Commander said, “I think it was natural for your heat to come early.”

“There are many alphas on base,” Ana pointed out to him. “It never happened before.”

“He had his suppressants,” Jack argued.

“If Vincent was the one in a gang, would you be saying the same thing?” Ana asked, crossing her arms.

Jack’s lips turned into a thin line.

“Look, I didn’t plan this,” Gabriel said, tired of them speaking as if he wasn’t there. “It happened. Am I as surprised as you? Yes.”

“Not as surprised as Jack, I believe,” Ana teased.

“That’s true, but it doesn’t change the fact it happened. And even if I return to my suppressants, it won’t stop this heat. I need him.” Gabriel looked at Jack’s blue eyes, they still held that care from their SEP days, where their bond grew. When he wasn’t allowed suppressants because they could interfere with the injections. Gabriel knew where the concern was coming from. Even if he wasn’t an alpha, he had his doubts about Vincent when Jack had marked him with little thought in one of his ruts. He did it just because it felt right.

It was risky sometimes, to call someone a mate for life. There were alphas known to go from one mate to another, leaving omegas to suffer much loss. And Gabriel was starting to think of his own risk if he returned to Jesse. He was young and just starting this new phase in his life. For all Gabriel knew, he could be running off with another omega by his next rut.

Gabriel shut his eyes at that thought.

“I know he’s not the most innocent person, but who is? Certainly no one in Overwatch,” Gabriel said and paused, “much less Blackwatch.”

Jack and Ana exchanged glances.

“You want to recruit him?” Jack questioned, hands coming together behind his back.

Gabriel nodded in response.

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose, while Ana stood back. She had things to say, but knew better. She was aware it wasn’t the time to discuss such a subject, especially with Gabriel’s heat creeping back to full force.

“We’ll talk about it later.” Gabriel was relieved when those words left Jack’s mouth. He almost ran to his room.

 

Hot water poured down Gabriel’s body and steam fogged the glass door. He made sure to scrub and wash on every corner of his body. It felt nice to feel like he was shedding his skin away. He had a new and pure layer, one untouched by any other man or woman. He only wanted McCree’s rough hands to make bruises and trace lines again. He wanted the only good thing that happened over the week to return.

Something ticked in the back of his mind. His eyes opened as he felt his heart giving a hard thump. Through the smell of lime from his soap, he caught the scent of the desert. Something that should bring bad memories only gave him a stir in his gut. A mirage of a pinyon pine tree and a fireplace set by a river in the middle of nowhere.

“Commander Reyes,” the AI, Athena, turned on. “A man by the name of Jesse McCree requests permission to enter your quarters.”

One beat of his aching heart. “Let him.”

He held his breath, counting the seconds and calculating the steps Jesse would have to make to reach him, but he was wrong. Jesse arrived in less time than he imagined, walking straight through the apartment into the bathroom. Gabriel saw his silhouette in a blur through the glass, and for a moment he hesitated to open it. He felt he would break the balance in the world once he allowed Jesse to enter. He remembered the gunfire they heard only a few hours before as a preview of what their connection might rain upon them if they decided to clash once again. Gabriel felt silly to think of such things, like a young omega exploring new scents and dreaming of a fierce love that could break through the world. Yet he slid the door open, revealing the image of Jesse McCree, rugged as he had left him with wild, sweaty hair, a devil’s grin and hungry gaze.

“Found ya.”

“You’re not lying on my bed like that.” Gabriel tried to take some control of the situation, or else he would have to order a new mattress.

“Is that an invitation?” Jesse asked, shrugging his vest off.

“I need to get some food,” Gabriel said, turning the water off, “and get settled.”

“Understood,” Jesse responded, taking his hat off and placing it by the sink.

When Gabriel stepped out, and wrapped a towel around his waist, Jesse hooked his fingers on the waistline to pull him in for a kiss. “Don’t have fun without me. Still got so much I wanna do t’ya.”

Gabriel huffed, and a corner of his mouth twitched before he left.

Back in his bedroom, he pulled out new sheets to have close as well as extra pillows. He also told Athena to have someone from the cafeteria bring meals for him and Jesse. He was sure the young man hadn’t eaten since they left the hideout, and he would be needing the energy.

The food arrived just as McCree was coming out of the shower. Steaming bowls of chicken soup, bread rolls, crackers and water waited for them both.

“Not what I had in mind for today’s meal.” McCree walked towards the kitchen counter with a sway of his hips as the towel hung low. “But I’ll take it.”

They ate most of it in silence, but Jesse never stopped looking at Gabriel. Even if he had food, there was another hunger in him that would not be satisfied with bread or crackers. When the bowls were empty and out of the way, Jesse wasted no time on crowding Gabriel until both laid on the bed.

“I could smell ya while I was in that cell,” Jesse mouthed against Gabriel’s neck. “I couldn’t help but wonder if ya had fled to another alpha, hungry to fill the gap I left in ya. Or if ya were somewhere, tossing and turnin’, beggin’ to be filled. Once I was let out, I knew just where to find ya.”

“Then quit talking, and do your damn job,” Gabriel ordered, tired of being in this turmoil, at being at war with himself. He needed someone to knot him, to claim him.

“Back to bossin’ me around? Wanna prove yer a big, tough omega ‘n’ not just a mutt in heat for me?” McCree smirked up at Gabriel, clean hair falling in front of his eyes, making the sneak peaks of those irises even more dangerous. “It’s just us here, babe. Beg all ya want, cry ‘n’ moan, I love it all.”

“Jesse?”

McCree kissed up his neck and jaw as he asked, “Yes, honey?”

“I need you to knot me.” McCree halted his mouth and raised his head to stare right into Gabriel’s eyes. The commander groaned. “Right. Now.”

McCree smiled until his teeth showed, a sharp fang getting Gabriel’s attention, and he felt his pulse strongly on his neck. His body wanted the mark. He desired to be mated, to belong to someone. But Gabriel wouldn’t have that.

“Let me do somethin’ I really wanted to do,” Jesse said before he resumed kissing down Gabriel’s body until he reached the edge of the towel and snatched it away. Gabriel’s cock sprung up, proud and thick.

“Look how beautiful you are,” Jesse murmured, and Gabriel wasn’t sure if it was at him, or his member. Either way, he had no strength to complain once Jesse wrapped his mouth around him.

“ _ Dios _ ,” Gabriel prayed, eyes shut and one hand tangled in Jesse’s moist, cool hair.

McCree’s mouth was scorching, and when his teeth grazed Gabriel, he was sure they would leave burn marks. Gabriel curved up, and the head of his cock pressed against the back of Jesse’s throat, who continued sucking and licking without complaint. The slurping noises were obscene, and Jesse’s moans even filthier. It caused Gabriel to shake down to his curled toes. His bones were ringed with fire, lighting up his skin in a glow he wasn’t sure any other alpha besides Jesse could cause.

McCree continued to praise Gabriel with his moans and tongue as it danced around Gabriel until he came whining and jerking. Jesse drank it all, savouring the flavor and even thanked Gabriel when he was done.

Jesse lay besides Gabriel, and the commander licked his lips when he saw a shiny bead spilling out of Jesse’s cock. But Jesse had other plans. “Get on, vaquero.”

Gabriel hesitated, he wanted to take control of this, but his body moved at the touch of Jesse’s hand on his arm. He saddled Jesse’s hips, using his hands on the cowboy’s stomach as leverage. Jesse helped by guiding his own dick against Gabriel’s hole as he lifted, and slowly sunk down, moaning praise for Jesse.

“Ya like that?” Jesse asked, smiling as he bit his lip.

“Yes,” Gabriel murmured.

“Ya can just stay like this, y’know,” Jesse suggested, trailing his fingers over Gabriel’s hips. “Ya look so gorgeous.”

“Think you can handle not fucking into me?” Gabriel challenged.

“Hell nah,” Jesse said and thrusted upwards, pulling an unexpected gasp from Gabriel.

He paused, then did it again. Each halt was different in tempo, surprising Gabriel every time. It went from a second, to three, then back to one, and then torturing Gabriel for six second before Jesse did it again. At one point it felt like ten minutes before Jesse did it once more. Then Jesse started moving like he had broken free. He was feral, bearing his teeth like an animal ready to devour Gabriel. The commander kept him at bay with his hands around his throat, and the sight was as dangerous as it was exciting.

Jesse’s movement slowed down, but Gabriel wasn’t happy about that. So he started to bounce on Jesse’s cock, and by the wicked smile on him, the cowboy wasn’t complaining.

“Turn around,” Jesse commanded, trying to hold Gabriel still by his hips, but the commander didn’t budge at first.

Once he did, he received a slap across his cheeks and then they were spread apart as Jesse’s member entered him again. Jesse’s moan trailed off the deeper Gabriel went as he watched his cock being swallowed. Gabriel didn’t waste time; he continued moving with a mission in mind. He worked like clockwork, not paying attention to what happened around him as he chased his own pleasure. Jesse held on to his hips, digging his fingers and nails in until they pinched. Gabriel was howling and panting, muscles tensing and flexing under sweat. His cock bounced between his thighs, leaking more pre-cum.

Jesse sat up and wrapped an arm around Gabriel’s neck before pulling him down with him. The young alpha took over again, keeping his arm around Gabriel’s neck and the other holding one of his wrists.

“Jesse,” Gabriel called. “Jesse, Jesse…”

“Shit, mi cielo! Don’t stop doin’ that.”

Gabriel kept calling his name as his brain tumbled inside of his skull, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

“I’m almost there,” Jesse warned, mouthing the shell of the commander’s ear. “Ready to take all of me?”

“Y-yes!” Gabriel responded, desperately to be knotted, to be bred.

Jesse pumped once, twice, and buried himself in Gabriel, his knot popping pass the rim. Gabriel’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open as he gasped. There was burning from the spot where their bodies connected, and he could feel Jesse filling him up, a tingling sensation between his walls as they clenched around Jesse, still hard and fat.

Jesse turned them on their side as he kissed over Gabriel’s shoulders and neck. He settled on the crook in between, smelling Gabriel as his breathing ceased.

“You alright, pumpkin?”

Gabriel sighed and nodded softly.

“Good.” A few more kisses and Jesse wiggled his hips. Gabriel hissed to the sensitivity. “Sorry, just checkin’.”

“Don’t move,” Gabriel ordered him anyways.

“I won’t,” Jesse said, brushing his fingers over Gabriel’s sides. “I’m good stayin’ right here.”


	8. for life

Gabriel felt like he slept for hours, and the only thing that woke him up was the ache to mate. He hadn’t been able to sleep this long in past heats. He usually woke up an hour or two after being satisfied. Jesse had exhausted him out. Destroyed him until he was numb and too tired to do much else. His eyelids fluttered opened and he saw the candle on his nightstand lit, spreading the lavender aroma he liked to have when he wanted to relax. But Jesse’s scent still lingered there, stronger than anything else.

Gabriel lifted his head when he also noticed something else by the candle. A chocolate raspberry tart that made his tongue lick over his lips as it desired something sweet to recharge.

“Mornin’, sleepin’ beauty,” Jesse drawled from behind him and the bed dipped under his weight. His lips pressed against the back of Gabriel’s neck, and went up to his ear.

Gabriel hummed and turned to speak, but he was silenced by a kiss. He felt another wave of lust coming as he dug his nails into Jesse. That was when he realized he was clothed while Gabriel remained naked under the sheet.

“Got us breakfast, guess lunch now,” Jesse said after they pulled apart.

He wore his own clothes, and Gabriel grimaced at them since they were still dirty.

Jesse must have read his mind since he laughed and said, “Don’t look at me like that. Couldn’t go walkin’ ‘round in my birthday suit all over base. That’s fer yer eyes only, sugar.”

“Good,” Gabriel said without much thought as the room started spinning.

“But I’m here now.” Jesse stood and pulled his shirt over his head. “Nothing else will keep me away from ya.”

Gabriel laid on his back completely and looked at his feet when he felt a bundle of something. There were new sheets for the mattress, pillows and a new comforter as well as two more pillows piled up.

“Got us new stuff. I remembered what ya said ‘bout nesting ‘n’ I figured we were missing some stuff.” Jesse patted the folded fabrics. “Also got ya lotta water bottles, snacks—fruits, but mainly sweets—energy drinks, your phone and tablet are right there,” Jesse pointed at the nightstand and Gabriel realized the devices were by the candle. He couldn’t even remember where he last saw them. There was also a piece of red fabric that was too familiar.

“Lighted up the candle, hope it’s okay.” Jesse rubbed the back of his neck and pointed to the nightstand again. “I also left ya my bandana. I used it a lot, ‘n’ I figured ya would want something from me. I don’t know if that’s somethin’ omegas do, but it’s there. If ya don’t want it, it’s fine.”

Gabriel looked at it again, and realized how true it was. If it wasn’t around Jesse’s neck, he would carry it around his wrists or peeking out of his pocket. And some omegas did like to have something that belonged to their alphas nearby in case they weren’t around. “Thanks, Jesse,” Gabriel said and managed to sit up and stretched his hand to pick up the tart.

“I love those. Not much for sweets, but had one a while ago ‘n’ had missed them since. Already had mine, though.”

“I really like them too,” Gabriel commented before he took the first bite.

Jesse smiled very softly, but it hit Gabriel’s chest like a bullet.

“I wanted t’get ya comfortable clothes, just in case ya wanted to go somewhere.”

“Last drawer on the dresser.” Gabriel nodded towards the furniture. “I keep my sweats there. You can get one for yourself, if you want.”

“Aw, thanks, sweetheart.” Jesse finished pulling down his pair of jeans and made his way to the dresser. Gabriel couldn’t stop staring at his ass and then the sneak peek he got of Jesse’s ballsack as he crouched down to look for the sweats. Gabriel licked his lips and shoved the remaining piece of his treat in his mouth. They needed to discuss what they were, and it needed to happen before they fell back into bed.

“Jesse—”

“Better eat yer pancakes,” Jesse interrupted him. “They’re in the kitchen, still warm. There’s also Sunnyside eggs, bacon and hash browns.”

Gabriel closed his mouth. A good meal was needed during his heat. He uncovered himself and had to admit he was flattered by the way Jesse’s gaze quickly locked on to his soft member. “What about you?”

“I’ll join ya in a bit,” Jesse replied and stood in front of Gabriel when he stood up. “I’ll change the sheets ‘n’ be right out.”

Jesse leaned in to kiss him, and Gabriel was so pliant to it. The room could have flooded, and Gabriel would have continued kissing Jesse.

“Go, darlin’,” Jesse whispered, like a plea to Gabriel before the feral side came out.

Gabriel smiled and brushed his thumb over Jesse’s cheekbone before he left. He started to eat on the small dining room and Jesse joined a few minutes after.

“Morrison came by,” Jesse said after nothing but the sound of silverware and plates had been filling the silence. “I was on my way out when I bumped into him.”

Gabriel swallowed the bite he had taken. “How was it?”

“Pretty fine,” Jesse responded with a shrug. “Don’t think he likes me much, but he still helped me get ya food.”

“Ah,” Gabriel said, and it made sense how Jesse figured out what Gabriel liked to have close to him during heats.

They said nothing for another minute. It was Jesse who broke the silence again. “What’s your favorite color?”

Gabriel stayed still for a second, surprised by the question. “Green.”

“Looks good on ya,” Jesse complimented and winked. “Mine’s red.”

“Guess it fits you, too,” Gabriel said.

“Favorite flower?” Jesse continued the inquiry.

“Sunflowers.”

“Beautiful.”

“Yours?”

“Huh,” Jesse said, looking at Gabriel. “Never thought ‘bout it. I’ll get back t’ya on that.”

The questions continued, and soon enough Gabriel was just as curious in Jesse as he was in Gabriel. But no amount of talking kept their bodies from desiring what they had wanted unconsciously during the time they were asleep. As soon as Jesse took the empty plates to the sink, Gabriel’s hunger for his alpha returned in a hit. And Jesse, parading naked around his apartment, wasn’t helping.

Gabriel met him in the kitchenette, clashing their mouths together, breathing in his scent.

“Need me, honey?” Jesse asked.

“Very much,” Gabriel confessed before he kissed him again.

Jesse pushed him until they were back on his bed. More pillows and sheets waited, making the area even more comfortable. As Jesse kissed down Gabriel’s body and praised him with words, Gabriel decided talking would have to wait.

 

Hours later, Jack messaged Gabriel to make sure he wasn’t in the middle of any mating ritual, and then called. He requested that Jesse go to the medbay as soon as possible. The doctors were pushing up his check up since he would be an agent soon. It was even more critical since he was in his rut and, under confidentiality, they wanted to make sure Reyes didn’t run any risks, health wise. Gabriel tried to convince Jack to wait. If Jesse had anything, they had already been together. But Jack insisted.

“If you’re so keen on having him as your alpha, the best you can do for both of you is to let him get checked now,” Jack said.

While Morrison spoke, Gabriel felt hands going up his thighs and a warm mouth kissing up his half hard cock, cleaning the evidence of Gabriel’s latest orgasm. He hung up as soon as Jack said “they’ll be waiting for him.” When he told Jesse, he didn’t seem happy to be pulled from the omega either. But if Jesse were to become an agent, it was protocol, and he was already late enough on his first checkup.

While Jesse was gone, Gabriel pulled through it by smelling the red bandana as he curled up and wrapped himself up comfortably in the sheets that had both of their scents. Soon enough, Gabriel felt he was being swallowed by the desert. His skin felt sandy, raised in goosebumps, and his chest ached, as if it was being suffocated. He could taste pine with orange on his tongue and heat grew on his groin. His cock hardened, and he told himself he would wait.

He fought against his instincts, against his desire to please himself, because he knew it would only leave him feeling even more empty once he was done. He would not see Jesse on top, or by his side, panting so beautifully and sinfully. He would feel alone, like those times he spent his heats in solitude. Even when he jerked off just because he wanted to, there was always that emptiness after. Of having no mate, no alpha to take care of him.

Gabriel perked up when he smelt Jesse, and the door opened seconds later. As soon as Jesse barged into the bedroom, his shirt was halfway off. The sweats he had borrowed from Gabriel ran a little low on his hips, giving Gabriel a perfect show of the dark hair trailing down his crotch. Those same pants were pulled off, exposing the girthy member raising to the lust both were sharing.

Jesse crawled into bed and met Gabriel with a kiss.

“They showed me other omegas, and different scents,” Jesse said in between kisses. “But all I could smell was you, sweetheart. All you.”

The words made Gabriel feel strange, yet wanted. Maybe it was the confirmation he needed, maybe it was the rut talking. Jesse’s desire to be satisfied might not be as big as Gabriel’s heat, but he had someone to spend it with. And he knew. Once out of the medical wing, he knew he had a bed to return to, and someone to warm his cock.

That was why they needed to talk.

Gabriel growled because he dreaded the conversation then. His cock was throbbing, begging to be touched and pleasured. He decided he would not make his body suffer any longer by depriving him from what it needed. Jan had intended to use Jesse has a method to break Gabriel on that last day in the hideout. So, with no risks anymore, Gabriel would use Jesse as such. A toy to fill him, to use as he wanted until he was satisfied and his heat over.

He told himself that Jesse was just that, again and again as he turned them over, pinning Jesse to the bed. He reminded himself as he kissed Jesse’s swollen lips and felt breathless from just that. He bit his tongue from saying sweet praises to Jesse as he saddled his cock. He closed his eyes just so he wouldn’t see Jesse’s blissful and gorgeous expression as Gabriel sunk lower, taking him whole in one push. He told himself it was just the rut when he trapped Jesse’s wrists in his hands and felt the pulse quickening between his fingers. Gabriel Reyes didn’t yield to the alpha’s role, and he took over as he bounced on McCree, causing him to mumble in Spanish and English, all words of poetry for Gabriel and his sculpted body.

Gabriel fought so hard not to fall for Jesse’s beautiful eyes when he sat up and looked at Gabriel tenderly. Reyes blamed the heat for melting when Jesse wrapped his arms around him to kiss him so passionately he forgot how to function, and he just sat there, as if they were making love instead of following their feral needs. He looked away when Jesse smiled as Gabriel came undone and barely touched.

 

“Babe.” The voice was dreamy and soft, and the image in front of Gabriel when he opened his eyes was even more so.

The golden sunset shone on Jesse’s face as he brushed his thumb over Gabriel’s bottom lip, and then his knuckles over his scarred cheeks.

“I drew you a bath.”

“You didn’t have to,” Gabriel said and groaned when he felt his cock waking up by just looking at Jesse.

“You deserve it, sugar,” Jesse insisted and sat up.

It didn’t take much convincing for Gabriel to enter the tub. The room was lit dimly by a few candles. And there were also a few pieces of chocolate on a plate on the border of the tub. He was devouring the cherry filled one when Jesse walked in wearing the same sweats he got from Gabriel’s drawer, and brought a bottle of water. Gabriel almost choked when he drank from it and felt the soft press of Jesse’s lips to his forehead.

“Doin’ alright?”

“Fine,” Gabriel responded, quickly and short.

“Need anythin’ else?” Jesse asked, sitting on the edge and moving his hand over the water until it came to rest on Gabriel’s shoulder, where he brushed his fingers over tenderly. “I can put music on, bring more candles, or less. Bring any other snack, besides myself” He laughed at his own joke and Gabriel found himself smiling to it.

“I’m good right now.”

“Good,” Jesse said and then moved, hand dancing over the water. Even if the bath was warm, Gabriel shivered. He wondered if Jesse would just pounce in and take him there, surrounded by fire and water. He wondered if the heat they created would vanish the water into a mist.

But Jesse did nothing like that. He sat on the floor and continued to lazily twirl his hand in the water as he watched Gabriel like he was a fine piece of jewelry, the most treasured thing in the world. It made Gabriel nervous in a way he hadn’t been in years. Well, that’s a lie. He was that nervous when Jesse took him to that room in the Deadlock hideout and barricaded the door to have Gabriel to himself. He was also nervous when Jesse found him in his own bathroom, and then later when Jesse took him to bed.

It was the kind of nervous people described as butterflies, but Gabriel called them bullets. Every tingle was more impactful than a pair of soft wings and left him so breathless he wondered if he would survive.

“You like candy?” Jesse asked, resting his chin on his arm.

“I have a sweet tooth for most things,” Gabriel responded and grabbed another piece of chocolate, which was filled with caramel.

“What’s your favorite?” Jesse tilted his head and grinned. Gabriel could read him so easily, besides me?

“My abuelita makes an amazing dulce de leche banana cream pie,” Gabriel replied in a heartbeat. He had traveled almost the whole world and tasted a lot of sweet treats in his life, but nothing compared to that pie.

Jesse bit his lip. “Does she ever send some over? I wouldn’t mind tasting it.”

“If it were up to her, she would send one every week, but even I know I have to keep my figure,” Gabriel said the last bit as a joke, and felt accomplished when Jesse laughed. Gabriel had only shared that dessert with Ana and Jack, and sometimes Fareeha, Ana’s daughter, when she happened to be on base. But Gabriel had a feeling that when the next delivery came, he would happily keep it in his room to share with Jesse.

They talked some more, and found out new things about one another. Jesse used to play the guitar. He once found one during a Deadlock job and another member helped him learn, but when the guy died, Jesse destroyed the instrument in a fit. He hadn’t touched another one since. Gabriel saw the pain and regret in Jesse was still raw. If it was for the guy or for stopping his practice, he couldn’t tell. Gabriel let it slip he sewed, a fact Jesse found amusing, but he looked at Gabriel even more softly after.

By the time Gabriel was out of the tub, he knew more about Jesse than his other agents. And something about it must have caused Jesse to want him more since he was kissing him and holding him as soon as he put one foot on the bathroom floor.

It was different than when they were in bed or on their way there. The kisses were guided by passion instead of lust. His touches were innocent, in places Gabriel loved to be caressed after battles but never had anyone to help him that way.

“Jesse,” Gabriel whispered when he laid in bed and Jesse kissed his neck with feather soft pecks that made Gabriel feel like he was soaring in the darkening sky. He closed his eyes and exhaled when the right kiss on the perfect spot sent chills down his body. “We need to talk.”

“About?” Jesse mouthed against Gabriel’s collar bone.

“Us.” The word felt foreign in his mouth. A strange language he had never come across but somehow knew it by heart.

A few more kisses and Jesse met his gaze. “What ‘bout us?”

Gabriel felt a knot in his throat when he swallowed. He sat up and Jesse moved with him until he sat on his heels. “You will be my agent, McCree.”

Jesse huffed and shifted to sit on his butt, cross legged. “Ouch, already going by my last name.”

Gabriel looked away for a second. He hadn’t thought about what he called McCree, but he should have been more careful when addressing such a subject. “Things will be complicated. And you’re going through your first rut of many.”

“And?”

“You should be around other omegas first.”

“That’s not how it works, Reyes,” Jesse said, and Gabriel knew he had done it out of spite. “I might be new at this, but I’m sure once I can only smell one omega on a big ass place like this, I think that’s a clear sign we’re meant to be.”

“Meant to be’s change.”

“Is that what worries you?”

“Sometimes it’s not a ‘until death’ situation. It can be for short periods, and you discovering this about yourself can be confusing. First ruts and heats mess up a lot of our senses more than the rest.”

“You scented me before I presented, Gabe.” Jesse shook his head, as if they needed more proof they belonged together. “What more do you want? No other alpha called to you over there, but I did, a nobody.”

“You are not a nobody.”

“No, I’m your alpha.” Jesse scrambled to his knees again. “And you’re my omega. Don’t sit there and tell me this is nothing after we’ve spent days together, mating like the world has ended and we’re the only two left.”

“Do you even know how hurtful it can be for either of us if we find another alpha or omega?”

“Heartbreaks are tough, so what?”

“It’s more than that,” Gabriel said and sighed. “Ana and her omega didn’t work out. Distance and time zones kept them apart for too long. She felt that bond fading, and when they broke it off, she was devastated. Heartbreaks are crying in bed, eating tubs of ice cream and then going out to get drunk. Bond breaks make one reckless, distant and careless. It took her months before she regained herself, and I heard her omega was the same.” Gabriel looked away. “I don’t even wanna get into how that affected their daughter.” He remembered nights he had to take Fareeha in because Ana simply didn’t have the energy or got too involved in missions to tuck Fareeha into bed. Missions where she moved without a heads up, missions where she shot first and asked questions later. It was a miracle Jack managed to keep her as captain without Petras finding out the things she had done.

“We are not them, honeybun,” Jesse said, even if he had looked disappointed before, he was calmer. He understood where Gabriel was coming from. “Just like that is different from heartbreaks, I know this is different too. When I’m with you, yeah, I want to fuck you until this bed breaks, but there’s more underneath. I know that when the rut is over, I will always have someone to share a meal with. A warm bed and stories of your day to listen to. I know now I will have a delicious piece of pie to try.” His smile was unmistakable, and contagious. Gabriel’s own appeared and he had to look away when he felt too warm.

“My heart beats different when I’m with ya,” Jesse continued after a moment. “It’s like it’s singing a song that only happens when you’re close, otherwise it loses its rhythm. I didn’t find ya in yer room because of your scent. It was my heart, I know it was, even if it sounds cheesy. I know I was close when I started smelling ya, but before that… my chest kept aching and aching. Trembling like I had a cough. I was hollow and cold until I stepped into the hallway.”

Gabriel was too old for this. Not even during puberty had he felt anything like it. And yet he was eating up every word of it, and forgetting why they had started talking in the first place.

“Give us a chance, darlin’. I promise to make it worth it. You will never have to worry ‘bout me leavin’ ya.”

Their eyes locked in a tender gaze. Their faces were close, breaths crashing together, and Jesse rubbed the tip of his nose against Gabriel’s. “May I kiss ya?”

Gabriel was too speechless to answer, but he nodded.

Jesse sealed the promise with a kiss. Long, sweet and passionate. It said the rest of the words that Jesse had kept to himself, and ended the arguments Gabriel had prepared. If he hadn’t felt what Jesse described before, he was then as Jesse held onto him. Gabriel was feeling his heart beating in sync with Jesse’s, like they were one. It was a moment Gabriel hadn’t experienced before. An encounter that only happened every hundred years or so, where the perfect alpha and omega find each other in a world that holds many possibilities, and many challenges.

Jesse pulled Gabriel’s legs so they wrapped around his waist. A small gasp came from Gabriel as he held on to Jesse’s neck, who chuckled lightly before kissing him again. The position was better. There was nothing between them, not even space being wasted with nothing but air.

When they came together again, when Gabriel swallowed Jesse in his heat and Jesse thrust into him with pure passion, they weren’t satisfying their lust, but making love. Jesse swayed his hips as he held on to Gabriel, proving that he wouldn’t let him go. That Jesse wouldn’t be leaving any time soon. He would care for Gabriel if he allowed it. He would stand by his side during battles, and lay with him once they were done until morning came and they could celebrate the fact that both returned together.

“Jesse,” Gabriel sang with every move Jesse made.

Jesse would respond with a kiss somewhere in his chest or face, wherever he could reach. Gabriel was laid on his back and his hands were pinned over his head. Their fingers entwined together, creating an iron grip. Gabriel felt he was suffocating in a way he couldn’t explain. It was euphoric. It was beautiful to see Jesse so close. Hair plastered on his forehead by sweat, lips swollen and shiny, and gaze darkened by passion.

“Mark me,” Gabriel almost begged.

Jesse didn’t need to be asked twice. He kissed Gabriel, breathing deeply through his nose, then he kissed down a path. He lapped and pecked at Gabriel’s neck, in search for that perfect spot. When he found the part where the scent was strongest, where it basically made his eyes roll to the back of his head, he sank his teeth in.

Gabriel’s mouth fell open as he panted. His eyes closed, focusing on the sweet pain that jolted to his cock. Jesse thrust a few more times, deep enough to feel Gabriel’s gut being rearranged, and then both came together. Jesse’s knot stretched Gabriel’s abused hole once more. A stretch that was still welcomed and chased.

“Yer turn, sweetheart,” Jesse said before kissing Gabriel.

Gabriel did the same as Jesse had done. He kissed, licked and nibbled on his neck until he found a spot he liked. He was sure it was close to the one Jesse had choose on Gabriel’s neck. He wanted their marks to be similar, yet unique compared to others. There were gonna be the sign to everyone who saw them from now on. If Jesse’s scent all over Gabriel wasn’t enough, he would be proud to showcase the mark his alpha had made on him.

 

 

 

 

T H E      E N D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is it for this fic! Thank you so much for reading and those who comment, I deeply appreciate it even if I haven't been replying!
> 
> A big thank you again to [Lea](https://alliwantisallofthis.tumblr.com/) for being so helpful for the past few weeks as I worked on this!


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